Laayoune – Juan José Imbroda, the president of the People’s Party (PP) in Melilla, urged the central government and the Autonomous City on Monday to start “restoring” their commercial customs with Morocco.
Imbroda protested the Spanish government’s lack of initiative, stating “the fact that the commercial customs is not yet open is a huge stick for the city’s economy and, above all, for its future, both politically and economically.”
The PP-Melilla president complained about the significant decline in Melilla’s commercial activity in recent weeks, saying that a lot of stores in the center of the city as well as several warehouses in the city’s industrial areas have closed.
The Spanish government delegation in Melilla responded to Imbroda’s complaints by quoting Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said: “The reopening of the Commercial Customs is going to take place, because it is something that was included in the Spanish-Moroccan agreement last April.”
Melilla’s government delegation added that negotiations are being carried out between representatives from both Morocco and Spain to re-establish commercial customs.
Read also: Morocco’s Borders with Ceuta, Melilla To Remain Closed Until October 31
While crossing points between Spain and Morocco opened in May after a two-year closure due to the COVID crisis, commercial customs are yet to be opened between the two countries.
In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, the smuggling of contraband goods into Morocco from Ceuta and Melilla was another factor in the North African country’s decision to close its borders with the two enclaves.
But the recent diplomatic rapprochement between Spain and Morocco, as well as protests from both Spain’s PP and Moroccan border workers based in the Spanish enclaves, prompted Rabat and Madrid to agree on a gradual reopening of the crossing points.
However, PP thinks the two countries should bring their rapprochement to completion by resuming commercial customs. According to the Spanish political party, the full resumption of commercial customs between the two countries will bring much-needed economic benefits to all the parties involved, including the Spanish and Moroccan residents of Melilla and Ceuta.
