Following the celebration of Morocco’s victory over Portugal, three women would have been assaulted by police officers in Ceuta. The authorities of the city have decided to open an investigation.
The round of 16 match between Spain and Morocco at the World Cup will be experienced in a special way in Ceuta and Melilla, where many Moroccans live.
Faced with the persistence of Morocco’s claims on Ceuta and Melilla, Spain has decided to strengthen its presence in the waters of the two autonomous cities.
Morocco continues to claim Spanish territories. In addition to Ceuta and Melilla, Rabat is now focusing on Spanish jurisdictional waters, including the Chafarinas Islands, Alborán and Perejil (Leila Islet), as well as the rocks of Al Hoceima and Vélez de la Gomera.
The reopening of the customs offices of Sebta and Melilla is scheduled for January 2023 , according to the Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.
Rabat and Madrid could follow in the footsteps of Spain and the European Commission by proposing the creation of a free movement area for people and goods with Ceuta and Melilla.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has asked the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow Moroccan travelers to enter Ceuta and Melilla without having to stamp their passports. This represents a form of recognition of "colonization".
The Moroccan police at the Ceuta border were unable to carry out passport checks on travelers on Friday due to a computer system failure, causing a massive traffic jam at the border.
Ciudadanos MEP Jordi Cañas has again filed a complaint with the European Commission against Morocco, which continues, he says, to suffocate Ceuta and Melilla by prohibiting the entry of goods from the two cities into its territory.
The closure of the borders of Ceuta and Melilla with Morocco due to the health crisis has reignited the debate on the opportunity to integrate the two cities into the EU customs union.
The entry and exit control system planned at the borders of Ceuta and Melilla with Morocco will be operational in May, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior announced.
Mohamed Alí Amar, a former footballer from Ceuta better known as Nayim, said he would have liked to play for Morocco if the rules had allowed it.