The Spanish government will approve an emergency plan for Ceuta of 165 million euros next Tuesday, which will be added to the 180 million euros of recovery funds announced this Sunday, Prensa Latina reported.
The information, reported by local media, indicated that First Vice President Carlos Cuerpo explained that this emergency package will seek measures to revitalize the local economy and strengthen public services.
It will also allow 80 million euros to be injected directly into the Ceuta economy over the next four months, 35 million of which will be allocated to direct aid for SMEs and the self-employed, and another 15 million to improve trade and tourism.
In addition, in the package that the Council of Ministers will approve on Tuesday, 15 million euros will reinforce the education, health and justice services of Ceuta.
The weekend, so far, has remained relatively calm, after two days of clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers, with irregular migrants as the main protagonists in the background.
With the entry of some 80 people from Morocco on July 30, the battle for the narrative continued in the atmosphere between administrations and political parties.
According to the central government, just over 5,000 undocumented migrants would remain in Ceuta after the voluntary return of the rest, along with some 1,500 unaccompanied minors. Regarding the first figure, the opposition People's Party (PP) claims it is 20 million.
The unified command for the autonomous city, headed by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, promised coordinated work with the Ceuta authorities to restore stability in a few weeks and proceed with the return of the migrants.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares reaffirmed Spain's sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, and stressed that "there has not been, is not, and will not be any kind of discussion on the matter."
In an appearance before the Congress of Deputies, Albares referred directly to relations with Morocco and, in this regard, stressed that he has been "very clear" about the territorial integrity and Spanish sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla.
"Ceuta and Melilla are Spain and the European Union; they are part of our territorial integrity and our sovereignty. But above all, the people of Ceuta and Melilla, regardless of their origin, their religious beliefs, or where they come from, are Spanish and European, not only by law, but in heart and soul. And it will always be so," he argued.
