The Spanish government has dismissed the official responsible for publishing media alerts issued by the National Security Department under the Prime Minister’s Office after she circulated an official statement revealing that nearly 49,000 migrants had entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta during the recent migration crisis, according to Spanish media reports.
Spanish newspaper ABC reported that the dismissal was ordered by National Security Director General General Loreto Hurtado, who informed the employee by phone that her duties had been terminated despite the fact that she was on annual leave.
According to the report, the decision took effect on August 1, with the employee only being allowed to return to her office to collect her personal belongings.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, ABC described the manner of the dismissal as highly unusual within the Prime Minister’s Office. The newspaper noted that when civil servants leave positions within the presidency, arrangements are typically made in advance to facilitate their return to their original government departments.
The dismissed official reportedly belongs to Spain’s Ministry of Defense. However, ABC said the ministry had not received formal notification of her removal, nor had any administrative procedures been initiated to organize her return to her previous post.
The newspaper linked the dismissal directly to the publication of the migration figures during the Ceuta crisis. It reported that the National Security Department issued a statement on the morning of Friday, July 31, citing data provided by Spain’s Interior Ministry indicating that 49,000 migrants had reached Ceuta.
The figures were subsequently picked up by several national and international news agencies, including Reuters.
According to ABC, the information was removed from the National Security Department’s website shortly afterward. The newspaper said the early disclosure attracted widespread attention because it revealed the scale of the migration crisis at an early stage.
The report added that the publication of the figures sparked dissatisfaction within the Spanish government, which reportedly considered their release premature. According to the newspaper’s sources, that reaction ultimately led to the dismissal of the communications official responsible for publishing the statement.
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