Italy to Maintain Schengen Suspension With Spain Amid Security Concerns

Italy will keep its temporary suspension of Schengen arrangements with Spain in place until authorities determine that all potential security risks have been eliminated, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Thursday.

Speaking before parliament’s Schengen Commission, Piantedosi said Rome would continue reviewing developments and would not reconsider the measure before Aug. 15. He stressed that border controls would only be lifted once the security concerns facing Italy had “completely disappeared.”

The decision followed a sharp increase in migrant arrivals in Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave, which prompted Italian authorities to introduce temporary measures affecting movement under the Schengen framework.

Piantedosi rejected accusations that the government was using the issue for political purposes or targeting Madrid. He said Italy’s decision was motivated solely by national security considerations.

The interior minister also defended the legality of the move, arguing that it complies with European Union rules. He noted that other European countries have previously reinstated temporary controls at their internal borders, including measures affecting Italy.

Piantedosi accused Spain of responding to Italy’s decision through what he described as a largely retaliatory measure, further highlighting tensions between the two countries over the issue.

Under Schengen rules, member states can temporarily restore controls at internal borders when they face a serious threat to public policy or internal security.

Italy’s government has indicated that the controls will remain in place until authorities are satisfied that the circumstances that prompted the decision no longer pose a security threat.
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