Spain's Interior Ministry says it is prepared to respond to any new attempt by irregular migrants to enter Ceuta, according to a report published Friday by Spanish newspaper 20minutos, citing ministry sources.
The statement follows growing concern in Spain over social media posts allegedly calling for another large-scale attempt to reach Ceuta on August 15.
On Wednesday, the Spanish government's representative in Ceuta, Alejandro Ramírez, warned that authorities were monitoring online messages encouraging a new mass crossing. Spanish radio network Cadena SER also reported, citing sources, that a fresh influx of migrants could occur before August 15.
"We will be ready to handle this situation," a source within Spain's Interior Ministry told 20minutos.
According to the report, Spain's Civil Guard believes that if no large-scale crossing materialises on August 15, it would reflect the impact of the advance planning and coordination measures put in place following the events of late July.
Last week, Ceuta witnessed an unprecedented surge in irregular migration attempts, with Spanish authorities reporting that around 60,000 people tried to enter the city in a single day, despite its population of roughly 85,000.
The incident sparked political debate across Europe, with officials in several European Union member states, including Denmark, Italy, the Czech Republic and Finland, calling for the temporary suspension of Spain's participation in the Schengen Area amid concerns over the bloc's external border management.
