Di opposition for Italy don criticise di decision of di government of Giorgia Meloni to keep di border controls with Spain, di ones wey dem impose after wetin happen for Ceuta. Dem say di move na pure propaganda wey don cause diplomatic wahala wey no get foundation, and e go cost di Italian people well well.
Di leader of Alianza Verde e Izquierdas, Nicola Fratoiani, talk say di propaganda of di Meloni government don produce wetin dem expect: a boomerang wey go make Italians pay dearly. E say di thing na serious blunder, and di government suppose stop am immediately and withdraw di nonsense of di Schengen suspension, especially as Spain don also start di same measure from midnight.
For di opposition, di deputy of di Partito Democratico, Laura Boldrini, say di move no fit don worse. She talk say di diplomatic crisis with Spain wey Meloni cause, with di aim to make Spain look stupid for international level, don turn to own goal. Now Spain don introduce checks for all travellers coming from Italy. Tit for tat, and even more. Dat na how Meloni dey defend national interest, she add.
Di leader of Movimento 5 Estrellas, Giuseppe Conte, wey be former prime minister, call di decision useless propaganda from a government wey don fail for managing landings and repatriations. E point out say for four years of dis government, Italy don see 150,000 more landings than Spain, so na Italy suppose suspend Schengen. E mention say when Meloni face record landings, she write to Ursula von der Leyen, wey come go Lampedusa and beg for European solidarity. But when Spain get problem, she dey suspend Schengen? Na double standard, e yarn.
While di government ministers and Meloni no talk anything after Spain decide to also impose controls, some members of di ruling parties stand ground. Di president of Noi Moderati, Maurizio Lupi, say Spain still be great friend country, but Pedro Sánchez im policies don encourage illegal immigration, and dat one Italy and Europe no fit accept. E say di problem no dey solve with blackmail, but by changing policy and following Europe directives.
Nicola Calandri, senator for Meloni party, Hermanos de Italia, claim say di temporary checks for arrivals from Spain na limited measure wey di Ceuta events motivate, plus alerts about possible new mass crossing on August 15. For Forza Italia, di party of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, dem explain say some people dey enter Italy in irregular way from Spain. Dem claim say about fifteen irregular migrants wey dey come from Spain were intercepted for five airports for northern Italy, during di checks wey dem set up after di Schengen suspension.
Italian media report say none of those migrants come from Ceuta. Di national spokesperson of Forza Italia, Raffaele Nevi, say di party fully support di decision to suspend Schengen with Spain until August 15, because European migration policies need better coordination. E also talk say Spain regularised tens of thousands of illegal immigrants some months ago, and dat dey attract irregular migrants from all over di world, wey see Spain as vulnerable country to enter Europe.
For Fiumicino airport for Rome, di situation dey show how di measure dey work. Travellers from Spain dey separated for special queues, and police dey do random checks. Some flights arrive on time, and passengers no see any control; others face document checks immediately after landing. One Spanish professor wey dey live for Rome, Ricardo, talk say e no know wetin go happen, but im friend wey get girlfriend from Dominican Republic choose to travel alone because e no sure di girlfriend fit enter Italy. Ricardo talk say di measure dey create uncertainty, and na wetin economy no like.
Another traveller, Luis from Valencia, say dem check im document just after e come out from plane. E call di move very political by Meloni, but e no dey effective. Leila, wey travel from Vigo with family, say dem no face any check. Flavia, an Italian, say she carry passport just in case, and she believe say migration flows need manage well with respect for people.
One make-up artist, Leandro Tirreno, wey dey live for Barcelona, say police stop am for exit because of im Asian features, even though e show Italian ID. E say di situation dey absurd, because e no fit imagine say people wey cross to Ceuta go fit travel without document to Italy. E say na first time dem stop am for im own country.
Meanwhile, Meloni government dey push di model Albania for Europe, wey mean say dem go set up migration expulsion centres for third countries like Ruanda, Ghana and Uganda. But di model get issues: only about 600 migrants don deport for two years, and e go cost Italy over 1,000 million euros for five years. European Union dey watch di matter.
Spain don also start di same controls for Italian citizens. Di letter wey Meloni and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen sign on August 1 get support from 22 countries, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, but French President Emmanuel Macron no sign. Corriere della Sera talk say fear dey say EU fit divide along political lines, conservative versus progressive.
