Melilla government urges Spain to seek EU help in reopening customs with Morocco

On Monday, the government of Melilla urged the Spanish government to turn to the European Union to pressure Morocco into reopening commercial customs with Ceuta and Melilla, following Pedro Sanchez's support for Morocco's autonomy proposal.

In statements to the press, Miguel Marín (People's Party), First Vice President of the Government of Melilla and Councillor for Economy, Trade, Technological Innovation, Tourism, and Development, called on the central government to seek European assistance to ensure that Morocco also respects the «passenger regime». Since May 2022, Morocco has barred the entry of goods from the two Spanish North African cities.

«If the Spanish government is too weak to demand the reopening of customs in Ceuta and Melilla, and respect for the travelers’ regime, it should ask Europe for help», Miguel Marín said.

According to Europa Press, the Melilla government official stressed that, in addition to these demands, Melilla must explore alternatives because «we cannot and must not rely on a third country that might act as Morocco did before», referring to Morocco's decision on August 1, 2018, to unilaterally close the Beni Ansar customs with Melilla.

He added that Morocco’s decision to «close the customs without warning» had disrupted Melilla's economic activity, and called for «a more autonomous approach to the city's economic future».