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Amid a growing debate over the border situation between Melilla and Nador, the issue of visa-free crossing has returned to the forefront of political and social discussions. Calls are mounting for the reinstatement of the system that once allowed residents of border areas to enter Melilla using only a passport, a practice suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. As politicians in Melilla criticize border congestion and local activists in Nador push for eased movement, debate continues over the humanitarian and economic consequences of maintaining the current restrictions.
Mohamed Bussian, leader of the La Nueva Melilla party, said in a strongly worded video posted on the party’s social media accounts that Melilla «has been turned into a real prison». He pointed to severe congestion at border crossings during weekends, where thousands of people, including women, children, and sick individuals, have reportedly been stranded in long queues for more than 14 hours in recent days.
The Solution Lies in Visa Exemption
Bussian criticized what he described as the «suspicious silence» of the ruling People's Party in Melilla regarding the border crisis, arguing that local authorities have failed to show the same willingness to address residents’ suffering linked to crossing into Morocco.
«The solution lies in reinstating the visa exemption system that allowed residents of neighboring areas to enter Melilla using only a passport», he said, arguing that concerns related to immigration and asylum «are no longer valid» following recent developments surrounding the European migration pact.
Bussian also linked the border crisis to the city’s economic and social decline, stressing that Melilla, as a border city, cannot continue to «turn its back on the border», since its economy largely depends on trade and movement with neighboring Moroccan regions.
In the same context, Yahya Yahya, former parliamentary advisor and former president of the Beni Ansar commune, submitted a petition to King Mohammed VI calling for the restoration of visa-free crossing for residents of Farkhana and the Nador region. He noted that the system had existed for years under the bilateral agreement signed between Morocco and Spain in 1995 before being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Petition to Restore Free Movement Between Nador and Melilla
Yahya Yahya argued that maintaining visa requirements has had «deep humanitarian and social impacts», particularly on families with relatives on both sides of the border. He explained that many families have been unable to visit each other for years due to the difficulties involved in obtaining visas.
The petition further noted that the situation becomes especially painful during religious occasions such as Eid al-Adha, when many families are unable to reunite or exchange visits as they once did.
«Reinstating the crossing system will not undermine national sovereignty, but rather reflect the diplomatic maturity of the kingdom and its ability to use international agreements to serve its citizens», the petition stated, particularly in light of the improved Moroccan-Spanish relations since the announcement of the strategic partnership between the two countries in 2022.
Meanwhile, local activists in the Farhana area announced the creation of the «Preparatory Committee for Advocacy on Farkhana Residents’ Issues», aimed at coordinating civil society efforts around border-related concerns and local development issues.
The economies of Ceuta and Melilla have faced growing difficulties since the COVID-19 pandemic, a situation further aggravated by the border closure with Morocco and the suspension of the visa-free system that had allowed residents of Nador, Tetouan, and Fnideq to enter without visas. The changes led to a sharp decline in cross-border movement and local trade, which heavily depended on Moroccan customers and workers, contributing to shop closures, rising unemployment, and a slowdown in economic activity, despite Spanish efforts to develop alternative economic models.
