The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Spanish Senate rejected a draft proposal on Wednesday, demanding sanctions against Morocco and Algeria, to force the North African countries to apply anti-migration measures.
Proposed by the far-right Vox party, the bill urges the government of Pedro Sanchez to adopt measures to control irregular migration flows, including asking the European Union to impose economic sanctions on Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania.
According to Europa Press, the proposal received a total of 26 votes against, one vote in favor, and one abstention.
The bill additionally sought to deny visas to citizens of Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania until these countries “readmit illegal immigrants.”
The party alleges that Morocco and Algeria “historically used migration flows as a geopolitical weapon, easing or putting pressure on border controls when it was in their interest, to weaken Spain and the EU’s negotiation position when addressing their demands.”
However, the bill was rejected, in light of many of Spain’s legislative branches aligning with the government’s decision, to initiate “a new stage of relations based on mutual trust, cooperation and balance,” namely in the fields of migratory flows.
In regards to Algeria, it is undergoing a delicate diplomatic phase with neighboring Spain, due to the latter’s recent position shift on Western Sahara, and Spain’s decision to allow Morocco to liquify internationally purchased LNG in its plants.
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