Eurocrats are blaming the recent illegal migrant surge in Spain’s exclave of Ceuta on “disinformation” and Russian propaganda.
Magnus Brunner, the bloc’s internal affairs commissioner, said in a press conference on Tuesday that allegedly false claims about lax European border policies helped spark the surge in arrivals.
Tens of thousands of migrants attempted to illegally cross into Spain during the crisis last week, resulting in the deaths of over 70 people.
“[T]here was of course some disinformation by the smugglers and the human traffickers, that’s what we know for sure,” he told reporters.
Other officials reportedly believe Russia could be behind such “disinformation”, with the European External Action Service (EEAS) reportedly launching an investigation into the possibility this week.
Brussels has meanwhile tried to downplay the involvement of Morocco in the crisis despite mounting evidence that the government of the country may be involved.
“There doesn’t necessarily have to be anyone to blame,” Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said regarding the matter.
Brunner meanwhile declined to comment on the possibility on Tuesday, claiming that there was an “ongoing investigation of the matter”.
Ukrainian officials have backed the Russian explanation for the deadly migration surge, insisting that Moscow launched a migrant “propaganda campaign” aimed at destabilising Europe.
“We have detected an intensive Russian propaganda campaign across Europe using pictures from Ceuta to sow destabilization,” the country’s acting minister for foreign affairs, Andrii Sybiha, wrote online.
“For years, Moscow has used migration and other sensitive topics to stoke fear and destabilize European countries.”
“All Russian propaganda resources should be completely banned in every European country that takes its national security seriously,” he added.
The Irish government has meanwhile pushed against attempts to blame Spain for the crisis, despite speculation that its plan to regularise over 1 million illegal migrants helped fuel the surge.
“The EU is united with Spain in this challenge and commends the swift action taken,” Minister Jim O’Callaghan, who has been at the forefront of coordinating the EU response to the crisis due to Ireland’s European Council presidency, insisted.
He added that EU nations should express “solidarity” with Madrid over the migrant surge.