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Congress approved the aid package for Ceuta and also passed a PP motion against Marlaska
The chamber ratified the 309 million euro decree with PP support, Vox’s rejection and Junts’ abstention. According to El Mundo, in the same session a motion promoted by the conservatives to censure the Interior minister also passed.
Congress ratified the royal decree-law on aid for Ceuta, worth 309 million euros, with 304 votes in favor, 33 against and seven abstentions. PP support proved decisive, while Vox voted against and Junts abstained.
The measure will continue its parliamentary processing as a bill under the urgent procedure. The package includes aid, tax breaks and investments for the city after the crisis of recent months.
During the debate, First Vice President and Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo defended the initiative as a response to the concerns raised from Ceuta and said the measures seek to speed a return to normality. He also presented the plan as an accurate diagnosis of the economic impact stemming from the migration situation.
From the opposition, PP, Vox and Junts questioned the government’s response. PP and Vox sharpened their criticism of the handling of the crisis and called for the return to Morocco of the irregular migrants who remain in Ceuta. Junts also objected to the scope of the decree and attributed the spending to a belated reaction by the government.
The official plan allocates 118 million euros for humanitarian reception, 80 million for businesses and workers, 90 million for security and 21 million to bolster essential services.
According to El Mundo, on the same day Congress also approved a motion presented by the PP that censures Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and calls for immediate and permanent reinforcements for the National Police and the Civil Guard in Ceuta, in addition to keeping the Armed Forces there for as long as necessary.
Also according to that outlet, the motion further calls for strengthening security in streets, public spaces, schools and the daily routes of schoolchildren, women and minors, and demands measures to make effective the return or expulsion of those who entered illegally. In the case of minors, it proposes prioritizing their identification and the location of their families in order to proceed with their return to the family environment or their handover to the protection services of their country of origin.
El Mundo added that the approved text also urges the government to again summon Morocco’s ambassador to Spain to seek explanations for the claims over Ceuta and Melilla and for the conduct of Moroccan authorities during the events of July 30 and 31, as well as to request that Spain’s ambassador in Rabat be called back for consultations.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
