Italy suspends Schengen with Spain over Ceuta migrant crisis, shuts air and sea borders

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Interior Ministry after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her government signalled their political backing on Thursday. The temporary suspension of the Schengen agreement was prompted by concerns over the migration crisis in Ceuta. Italy's Interior Ministry has ordered the closure of the country's sea and air borders with Spain, temporarily suspending the Schengen free movement regime between the two countries. The move had already been announced on Thursday evening by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini following the arrival of thousands of migrants in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta. The decision was formally approved on Friday morning during a meeting at the Interior Ministry chaired by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, based on assessments by Italy's Committee for Migration Analysis and Border Security. Our journalists are working on this story and will update it as soon as more information becomes available.