Italy, Finland, and 24 EU Countries Demand Emergency Meeting as Ceuta Migrant Surge Exceeds 60,000, Death Toll Rises to 57 – Finland Prepares Border Checks, Italy Suspends Schengen Cooperation, Spain Accuses EU of "Selfish and Unlawful" Response

Italian and Finnish officials have urged the suspension of Spain’s membership in the Schengen Area following a sudden influx of between 50,000 and 60,000 migrants into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco. The crisis has sparked sharp criticism from European leaders, who argue that Spain has failed to secure the EU’s external border. France has now joined the call for stricter measures, announcing plans to tighten border controls at its frontier with Spain (Yle), while 24 EU countries—including Italy, Denmark, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Hungary, Sweden, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Estonia, and six additional nations, among them Germany—have signed a joint statement demanding an immediate and coordinated European response to the situation (Yle; Daily Finland; Ilta-Sanomat; MTV Uutiset; Politico). Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has called for an emergency meeting of EU interior ministers, urging Ireland, the current EU presidency holder, to convene the session to address the crisis. In a joint letter with 23 other EU leaders, Orpo emphasized the need for a "swift and unified European response," stressing the importance of protecting external borders, preventing illegal entry, and supporting Spain (Ilta-Sanomat; MTV Uutiset). Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns Party) has described the emergency meeting as "extremely necessary" and stated that preparations for its convening are underway (Ilta-Sanomat).