Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, has dismissed claims that Madrid is secretly negotiating the transfer of airspace control over the Moroccan Sahara to Morocco.
Responding to a question from Basque MP Jon Iñarritu, a pro-Polisario politician, Albares made it clear that airline operations in the region are purely commercial decisions, not political ones.
Albares said that flight routes between Spain and the Moroccan Sahara fall under the freedom of airlines and civil aviation authorities.
Albares particularly mentioned Ryanair’s recent announcement of new routes linking Madrid and Lanzarote to Dakhla.
“The decisions of private airlines are taken between the companies themselves and the competent civil aviation agencies; they are therefore technical decisions,” said Albares.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares clarified that the Spanish government has no power to block airlines from launching routes to cities in the Sahara.
The Spanish Foreign Minister said Spain’s relationship with Morocco is built on a strategic framework shaped by bilateral agreements.
Albares added that cooperation between the two countries benefits both sides, particularly in areas like security, economy, and migration management.
However, Iñarritu said that Spain should not compromise on its stance regarding the Moroccan Sahara just to maintain strong ties with Morocco.
Iñarritu also referred to a European court ruling that requires agreements involving the region to receive approval from its local population.
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