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It seems that Madrid will have to look elsewhere for support in its political strife with Morocco, after several members of the European Parliament announced their criticism of Spain’s handling of the situation.
Despite the resolution passing, 85 Members of European Parliament (MEPs) recognized Morocco’s role as a stabilizing force in the region, ascrucial security ally helping to regulate the flow of irregular migrants and combating criminal organizations attempting to enter the Union from Africa.
The Union passed a resolution today that superficially blamed Morocco for the migration crisis in Ceuta. However, the resolution did not include any consequences against Morocco. Also, the resolution provided a moment for many EU parliamentarians to voice their opposition to Spain for its role in perpetuating the current political crisis.
Czech MEP Tomas Zdechovsky was among the first of the MEPs to voice his opposition. He accused Madrid of attempting to “hide its successive mistakes,” by appealing to EU legislators.
Danish MEP Søren Gade shared Zdechovsky’s point of view, declaring that he “rejected the text because it does not reflect the reliable and close nature of relations between Morocco and the EU.”
Lastly, the Belgian MEP Frederique Ries explained her vote against the resolution was because “it pillories our Moroccan strategic partner and remains silent on the responsibilities of the Spanish police in the violence reported by NGOs and for which the Spanish justice has opened an investigation.”
A statement by Morocco’s government described the European Parliament’s vote as hypocritical in the face of long-standing support for Morocco’s role in protecting EU borders.
Moroccan political officials remarked that the European Union “criticized Morocco, considered that the borders of Europe begin at Ceuta and Melilla…but did not forget all the same to recognize the efforts made by the Kingdom in the migration field, in particular the latest announcement of the readmission of unaccompanied minors.”
Rabat additionally pointed out that “no one can deny the place of Morocco and its key role in the Euro-Mediterranean area.” Indeed, Morocco has continued to thwart numerous drug trafficking, irregular migration, and islamic extremist attempts to illegally enter the EU through Southern Spain.
The Moroccan government concluded by imploring that the relationship between Morocco and the EU is built on a solid foundation that “cannot be overused, nor instrumentalized by emotional MEPs,” while it maintained its commitment “to launch and bring to life a ‘Euro-Moroccan partnership of shared prosperity’ with the EU.
Rabat finally petitioned EU members to “not insult the future,” as it looks to continue the long shared political, economic, and security agreements that both parties share, something that the politicians in Spain seem to have forgotten.
