Sanchez rejects criticism of Spain's extraordinary regularisation plan

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Sanchez rejects criticism of Spain's migration policy euronews.com

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez used a European Council summit in Brussels on Friday to reject criticism of his government's migration policy, telling fellow leaders that "what is being said has nothing to do with reality" and that "one thing is the blah, blah, blah and another is reality". The criticism, from the Czech, Danish and Austrian leaders, centred on Spain's extraordinary regularisation plan for migrants.

Andrej Babis accused some European leaders of being willing to "replace the population" to stay in power, and warned that the Czech Republic could tighten border controls against migrants arriving from other EU states. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the plan a "bad signal" with consequences for the union as a whole, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen asked the European Commission to examine what Spain's measures mean for the rest of the bloc. Sanchez replied that Spain is "a model pupil" in the fight against irregular immigration, citing interceptions in the Atlantic, returns and refusals of entry at airports, and rejected claims that Spain lies on routes for secondary movement within the union. He likened Babis's words to the rhetoric of the far-right Vox, urged his partners to keep implementing the EU's migration and asylum pact — secured under the Spanish presidency, he said, and working — and stressed the importance of maintaining a progressive government in Spain, "because Europe indeed needs a contrast of opinions and political positions". Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that irregular border crossings have fallen by more than 56 percent over the past two years, and announced that the Commission will propose strengthening Frontex so the border agency can expand its support to member states.

Von der Leyen said responsibility and solidarity must go hand in hand. Babis's answer to one member state's regularisation plan is tighter control of his own borders — against migrants arriving from other EU countries.