Morocco authorized, this Thursday, January 16, the passage of a truck from Melilla, transporting 600 kg of household appliances and air conditioners. This passage put an end to the closure of commercial customs since August 1, 2018.
On the other hand, the Moroccan authorities refused, the same day, access to a truck from Ceuta. “This is the second rejection, following a similar incident eight days earlier. The Moroccan side then put forward “technical problems to justify its decision,” indicate Iberian media. Unlike Melilla, Ceuta has never known commercial customs with Morocco.
The resumption of customs operations in Melilla allows the Spanish government to silence the strong criticism from right-wing groups. The Popular Party and Vox have in fact accused the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, of capitulating to pressure from Morocco. Accusations rejected by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.
As a reminder, point 3 of the Joint Declaration, sanctioning the talks of April 7, 2022 in Rabat between King Mohammed VI and Pedro Sanchez, announces that “the full normalization of the movement of people and goods will be restored in an orderly manner, including including appropriate customs and personnel control systems at land and maritime level.
Morocco
