Published on 09/09/2026 – 20:30 GMT+2
The same week that Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, travelled to Brussels seeking assistance, we are joined by Czech centre‑right MEP Tomáš Svetechovský and German Socialist MEP Birgit Sippel, who provide their perspectives. One month after thousands of irregular migrants arrived in the Spanish city, we examine how EU countries could have demonstrated greater solidarity and what further actions can be taken to support Ceuta.
Tomáš Svetechovský, a centre‑right MEP from the Czech Republic, criticised the Spanish government’s handling of the situation, arguing that it should have acted earlier and requested additional European support.
He stated that the Spanish authorities did not respond adequately and called for increased police and security assistance.
German Socialist MEP Birgit Sippel defended Spain’s response, emphasizing that European solidarity should be the priority.
She noted that when such events occur in any country, the immediate priority is to demonstrate solidarity.
The two MEPs disagreed on how to address unaccompanied minors remaining in Ceuta. Sippel advocated for relocating the children to other EU member states under the EU migration pact, while Svetechovský opposed mandatory relocation quotas, asserting that the Czech Republic would not accept any arrivals from Ceuta.
He reiterated that the Czech Republic is strictly opposed to such quotas.
The role of Morocco remains a point of debate, with accusations that Rabat facilitated the crossings. During his visit to Brussels, Juan Jesús Vivas suggested that the incident should prompt Brussels to reassess its cooperation with Morocco.
