Italy FM Tajani fires back at Spain with migrant data, cites 80% drop
Synopsis
Italian FM Tajani took the fight to Spain’s Jose Manuel Albares on X, countering Madrid’s claim that Italy leads Europe in irregular entries with data showing an 80% drop in landings since 2023. The spat exposes a deeper EU rift over migration burden-sharing — and both sides are now using raw numbers as geopolitical ammunition.
Key Takeaways
Italian FM Antonio Tajani on 3 August 2026 publicly rebutted Spain’s claim that Italy has Europe’s highest irregular migrant entries.
Tajani cited a 60% annual decline in irregular arrivals since 2023 and an 80% drop in landings between January–July 2026 versus the same 2023 period.
Irregular sea arrivals as of 15 July totalled 15,323 , down 54% from 2025 and 50% from 2024.
Italy credits bilateral agreements with eight origin and transit countries for the decline.
Spanish FM Albares cited an “unprecedented” surge of at least 50,000 Moroccan arrivals in Ceuta in a single weekend as context for his criticism.
Tajani noted more than 5,000 Ceuta arrivals were from sub-Saharan Africa and could not be repatriated to Morocco, complicating Spain’s success narrative.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Monday, 3 August 2026 publicly rebutted claims by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares that Italy records the highest number of irregular migrant entries in Europe, countering with official figures that show a sharp and sustained decline in sea arrivals since 2023.
The Numbers Tajani Cited
In a post on X, Tajani stated: “I do not respond to the Spanish Foreign Minister; the numbers do.” He said irregular migrant arrivals in Italy had fallen by 60 per cent year-on-year since 2023, with landings between January and July 2026 down 80 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. Irregular sea arrivals as of 15 July stood at 15,323 — a drop of 54 per cent against 2025 and 50 per cent against 2024.
What Drove the Decline, According to Rome
Tajani attributed the reduction to bilateral agreements Italy has signed with eight countries of origin and transit, which he said promote regular and safe migratory flows while combating human trafficking networks. He also noted that the new EU Pact on Asylum and Migration carries a strong Italian imprint, consistent with the legacy of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s governments.
What Spain Said and the Ceuta Context
The exchange was triggered by Albares’ remarks to Spanish broadcaster RTVE, in which he described Italy as the European country with the most irregular entries and Spain as having the fewest. He cited the Ceuta migration crisis, saying Italy had not met expectations in managing a similar situation in Lampedusa, and that Italy would want to replicate Spain’s handling of Ceuta. Albares said at least 50,000 people from Morocco arrived irregularly in Ceuta over a single Thursday-Friday window, calling it an “unprecedented event,” and credited Morocco’s “full collaboration” for enabling the repatriation of thousands within 48 hours.
Tajani’s Counter on Ceuta
Tajani pushed back on the Ceuta comparison, pointing out that more than 5,000 of the migrants who arrived in Ceuta were from sub-Saharan Africa and could not be repatriated or returned to Morocco. He also defended Italy’s support for suspending the Schengen free-movement framework, a move backed by 21 European countries, describing it as consistent with EU treaties and the correct course of action.
Broader Significance
The public spat between two EU member states reflects deepening fault lines over how migration responsibility is shared across Europe. Italy and Spain — both major points of entry for irregular arrivals — have long disagreed on burden-sharing mechanisms. This is not the first time Rome and Madrid have clashed over migration metrics; similar disputes arose during the 2023 Lampedusa surge. With the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration still being operationalised, the political contest over who is doing more — and who is deflecting — is likely to intensify ahead of key implementation deadlines.
Point of View
And both sides are cherry-picking their strongest numbers. Italy’s 80% landing drop is real, but it partly reflects deterrence upstream rather than a structural resolution — migrants reroute, not disappear. Spain’s Ceuta narrative, meanwhile, leans heavily on Moroccan cooperation that is transactional and historically unreliable. What neither foreign minister addresses is the 5,000-plus sub-Saharan arrivals in Ceuta who are neither repatriable nor being absorbed — a quiet crisis beneath the headline diplomacy. The EU Pact on Asylum and Migration will force a reckoning on exactly these hard cases, and the Rome-Madrid blame game suggests neither capital is ready for it.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Italian FM Tajani say in response to Spain’s migration criticism?
Tajani posted on X that Italy’s irregular migrant arrivals had dropped 60% annually since 2023, with landings between January and July 2026 falling 80% compared to the same period in 2023. He said the numbers, not a verbal response, were his answer to Spanish FM Albares.
What claim did Spanish FM Albares make about Italy?
Albares told broadcaster RTVE that Italy has the highest number of irregular migrant entries in Europe, while Spain has the lowest. He also said Italy had not met expectations in handling the Lampedusa situation the way Spain handled the Ceuta crisis.
What happened in Ceuta that triggered this dispute?
At least 50,000 people from Morocco arrived irregularly in Ceuta over a single Thursday-Friday period, which Albares described as an ‘unprecedented event.’ Spain repatriated thousands within 48 hours with Morocco’s cooperation, which Albares held up as a model response.
How did Tajani counter Spain’s Ceuta success narrative?
Tajani pointed out that more than 5,000 of the Ceuta arrivals were from sub-Saharan Africa and could not be repatriated or returned to Morocco, undermining the completeness of Spain’s repatriation claim.
What is Italy’s approach to reducing irregular migration?
Italy has signed bilateral agreements with eight countries of origin and transit to promote regular and safe migration flows and combat human trafficking. Tajani also credited Italy’s influence on the new EU Pact on Asylum and Migration as part of its broader strategy.
