Italy Rejects Spanish Pressure over Border Controls

Tensions are rising between Italy and Spain over border controls that Rome introduced following a massive influx of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

The Italian government announced on Friday that it would not yield to "ultimatums or pressure" from Madrid and would maintain checks on travelers arriving from Spain until at least 15 August.

Madrid had previously threatened retaliatory measures against travelers from Italy if Rome did not lift the controls by Sunday. Italy, however, is making its course of action contingent on the security situation.

Rome has said it will only reconsider its decision once it is certain there is no risk of a renewed migration wave, no security or terrorist threat and no possibility that irregular migrants will continue onward into European territory.

(Reuters, mja)