Sweden could introduce stronger border or identity checks if the migration crisis in Spain’s Ceuta territory affects Swedish security. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has urged Spain to regain control and meet its responsibilities under the Schengen rules.
Around 50,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta by land and sea between Thursday and Friday. Spanish authorities said 48,300 had returned voluntarily by Friday evening, while 57 bodies had been recovered on the Spanish side of the border.
Sweden border controls remain an option
“It is important that Spain acts quickly to regain control,” Kristersson said in comments reported by the Swedish news agency TT.
The prime minister said Spain must be able to meet its obligations within the Schengen cooperation. He added that Sweden was prepared to take necessary measures if the situation threatened the country’s security or migration system.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell has arranged an extraordinary meeting with his Nordic counterparts. Sweden is also prepared to support Spain through the EU border agency Frontex if the Spanish government requests help, according to the TT report published by Aftonbladet.
Forssell said Swedish authorities could use national measures, including stronger border controls, if the situation created a direct risk.
“But that is not a road we want to take,” he said.
The minister’s press office told Omni that possible measures could include increased border checks or internal identity controls. No new Swedish controls had been announced by late Friday.
Thousands entered Ceuta from Morocco
Ceuta is an autonomous Spanish city on the North African coast. Together with Melilla, it forms the European Union’s only land border with Africa.
Spanish officials estimated that around 50,000 people entered the territory after crossing fences, walking through border areas or swimming around coastal barriers. Ceuta’s local government gave a higher estimate of up to 60,000 arrivals.
Spain deployed military personnel and additional police to support the authorities in Ceuta. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the mass crossing as a violation of the country’s territorial sovereignty and said returns were being accelerated with Moroccan cooperation.
By 18:00 on Friday, Spain’s Interior Ministry estimated that 48,300 people had returned voluntarily to Morocco. Some said they had been unable to find food or accommodation in the crowded city.
At least 57 people died while trying to enter Ceuta, according to Spanish officials. Some drowned, while others were crushed near a breakwater carrying part of the border fence. Authorities warned that further deaths may have occurred on the Moroccan side.
The cause of the sudden movement remains unclear. Spain has blamed organised smugglers and misleading information about a court decision, while some European politicians have questioned whether Moroccan authorities deliberately allowed people to approach the border. These claims had not been established as fact by Friday evening.
No movement towards mainland Europe reported
Despite concerns expressed in Sweden and other countries, the European Commission said it had not detected any movement from Ceuta towards mainland Spain or other parts of the EU.
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said that “not a single person” involved in the mass crossing had reached mainland Europe. Special border checks already apply to people travelling from Ceuta and Melilla to mainland Spain under the Schengen Borders Code.
This means entering Ceuta does not automatically give a person access to the rest of the Schengen area.
The Swedish government has nevertheless called for measures to prevent secondary movement. Forssell said neighbouring countries could be asked to maintain controls on routes from Spain if the situation changed.
EU rules allow member states to reintroduce temporary internal border controls when they face a serious and unexpected threat. Such measures must be exceptional, proportionate and used as a last resort, according to the European Commission.
Swedish politicians react to Ceuta crisis
Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson said Spain should take strong action with EU support.
“The EU must ensure that Spain receives the help it needs,” she said in a written comment to TT.
Andersson also said reports that the crisis may have been organised should be investigated. She did not present the claim as established information.
Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Åkesson described the crossings as “nothing less than an invasion”. He said Spain should close the border and called for the country to be excluded from Schengen if it failed to do so.
Forssell said excluding Spain from Schengen was unlikely to be a realistic option because it would require broad support from other countries.
The minister also said Sweden would not accept the relocation of migrants from Ceuta. If the EU migration pact’s solidarity mechanism were activated, he said Sweden would offer financial support instead of accepting relocated people.
No solidarity mechanism had been activated, and Forssell said it was still too early to determine whether the situation would have any direct effect on Sweden.
