The Croatian Commissioner for the Mediterranean is tasked with coordinating cooperation with Morocco after thousands of migrants breached the border fence and entered the Spanish enclave, sparking a humanitarian crisis.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has brought in Croatian Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica to help resolve the acute migrant crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The escalation occurred on July 31, 2026, when thousands of young migrants breached the border fence and entered Spanish territory.
"This is unacceptable! I have enlisted Dubravka Šuica," von der Leyen wrote on social media, as reported by OG Portal Ogulin. Alongside Šuica, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner is also involved in managing the situation, working closely with Spanish authorities.
Dubravka Šuica has been tasked with coordinating cooperation with Morocco, a key EU partner in the fight against smuggling networks. "Strong EU-Morocco cooperation is crucial in combating migrant smuggling and trafficking networks. I am engaged with our close partner Morocco to control the situation and deliver concrete results," Šuica stated for Dulist.
In her post, as reported by Dubrovnik Insider, von der Leyen highlighted that Brunner is already working on providing additional operational support to Spain, including the involvement of the Frontex agency, and is ready to travel to the most critical areas. "We cannot allow anyone to enter our Union without respecting our rules. Dangerous border crossings must stop immediately," the Commission President urged.
According to a report by Spain's El Mundo, the situation in Ceuta is dire. The city of 83,000 residents at one point received around 50,000 migrants. Most shops in the city have closed to avoid looting, and residents are afraid to leave their homes. By evening, the situation in the city center had somewhat normalized, but businesses remained closed.
The NGO Save the Children estimates that among the newcomers are around 7,000 minors who are in a legal limbo because they cannot be returned to Morocco. The capacity of reception centers in Ceuta is less than 100 places, while a week ago they were filled with 250. "It is urgent to identify minors wandering the city in a state of neglect. Ceuta is very small and lacks reception capacity; it is important that they be relocated," Jennifer Zuppiroli, a migration specialist at the organization, told El Mundo.
Health authorities have reinforced resources in coordination with the Government Delegation, deploying additional family doctors and nurses and strengthening security at health centers, El Mundo reports.
El Mundo also shares testimonies from frightened citizens. A receptionist at a hotel in the city center recounted how two migrants entered the lobby on Friday morning. "I became very nervous because I didn't know what they wanted and because I was alone," she said. Attempted looting has been reported on the streets, and according to the report, at least 57 migrants have died trying to reach Spanish territory.
Meanwhile, Spain's Vox party has ordered a review of all aid agreements with NGOs that assist migrants in the regions of Andalusia, Aragon, Castile and León, and Extremadura, where it is part of the government, with the aim of suspending this aid.
