\n<\/p>\n
The crisis had calmed since breaking out in late July, but it has sparked tensions between EU nations that share open borders as well as criticism of the Spanish government.<\/p>\n
Italy suspended the 29-member Schengen arrangement of free movement with Spain and introduced border checks on arrivals from Spain. <\/p>\n
Italy was backed by Finland and Denmark, while the Czech Republic called for Spain’s membership to be temporarily suspended.<\/p>\n
Spain reacted angrily, with Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez noting Ceuta was not part of the Schengen area – and the migrants, therefore, had not arrived on the Spanish mainland and could not travel to any other European country.<\/p>\n
It urged Italy to drop its border controls – and introduced its own when Rome refused, citing the possibility of a new influx on 15 August.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said his country had been afraid of a “risk of a new wave of arrivals in Ceuta”.<\/p>\n
“We’re not waging any kind of ‘battle’ against Spain – we’re simply carefully controlling arrivals,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Instead of worrying about us, Spain should worry about Morocco: that’s where the problems are coming from, certainly not from our controls.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n