Habib El Malki: Morocco Is Not Involved In Migration Under The EU Command

On Sunday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Habib El Malki, expressed his “astonishment” and “disappointment” following the inclusion of a European Parliament draft resolution on the “alleged employment of minors by Moroccan authorities” in Ceuta’s migration crisis.

In a statement to the press, El Malki stressed that this initiative is completely incompatible with the quality of the existing cooperation between the Moroccan Parliament and the European Parliament.

He pointed out that this initiative “falls within the framework of attempts to distract attention from a purely bilateral political crisis between Morocco and Spain”, adding that “as everyone knows, this crisis is not linked to immigration, but rather to the entry of a person who is being pursued before Spanish justice for committing grave crimes against Spanish victims”.

In the same context, El Malki said that it is clear that “the use of the issue of immigration, especially the issue of unaccompanied minors in this regard, is like a maneuver aimed at giving a European dimension to a bilateral crisis”, expressing his regret “for exploiting an exceptional situation and forcing it into a partnership in which Morocco plays an exemplary role.”

He continued by saying, “Morocco, as confirmed by the Moroccan authorities, is not involved in migration under the command of the European Union or against payment of a fee. It does so as a partner and under a shared responsibility, as evidenced by the figures that have resulted in migration and security cooperation in recent years, which some MEPs seem to ignore.”

El Malki stressed that “the House of Representatives, which will closely follow this issue, hopes that the spirit of constructive partnership will prevail and that the European Parliament will not fall into the trap of escalation.”