The Government has already resorted to the European Union to stop Morocco in the face of the massive assault of some 8,000 migrants in Ceuta, in May 2021, which it denounced as an attempt to “blackmail” Spain. The border of this autonomous city is also that of the European Union, which took action on the matter in the face of the “aggression” suffered.
After complex diplomatic and political work, Pedro Sánchez managed to rebuild the relationship with the Mohamed VI regime, but the change of position on the Sahara issue cracked Spain’s also strategic relationship with Algeria, which on Thursday suspended the Friendship Treaty and Cooperation of 2002.
The Government, once again, resorted urgently to the community institutions. And in Moncloa yesterday they celebrated the “firm position” expressed by the European Commission against Algeria and the “closing of ranks” in Brussels, after the meeting between Minister José Manuel Albares and Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis.
The Government thus maintains its firm position regarding relations with Algeria, Morocco and the Sahara conflict. But, just as Albares did from Brussels when denouncing the attitude of the Popular Party, in Moncloa they also focused on Alberto Núñez Feijóo, whom they accused of being “irresponsible” for criticizing the President of the Government before the “unilateral position of a third country. And they described as “disloyal” the attitude of the leader of the main opposition party. “There are moments to be a government and to be an opposition, and others to be Spain”, they criticized the president of the PP.
Pedro Sánchez himself yesterday avoided any reference to the crisis with Algeria in the two public acts in which he spoke, just like the day before. The head of the Executive, in fact, only alluded to Algeria, in his appearance on Wednesday in Congress, to ensure that there was no problem in this regard, hours before the North African country opened the new crisis.
Despite the fact that all the management of this new diplomatic and political fire is in the hands of Albares, other members of the Government, such as Nadia Calviño, Isabel Rodríguez, Reyes Maroto or Raquel Sánchez, did trust yesterday that relations with Algeria could soon be redirected . Also with a firm message:
“The Government is going to work with absolute determination to defend the general interest of our country and, above all, of Spanish companies,” said the Executive spokeswoman. Albares from Brussels underlined this message of firmness by pointing out that they want to maintain a relationship with Algeria based on “friendship, dialogue, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs”. A non-interference that she did not specify, but that points to the position of Spain with respect to her policy with the Sahara.
Although regarding the possible consequences of this clash with Algeria, for the price of the gas that it sells to Spain, the Government’s response was not very conclusive. “At this time there is no data, no information, no indication that it will affect the gas supply,” argued the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños. Precisely, Algeria informed Brussels yesterday that it will not cut off the supply.
Despite the support of the Commission, the Executive did not receive support from the main opposition party, which puts its sights on the Government’s foreign policy, along with the economic one. The PP requested the urgent appearance in Congress of President Pedro Sánchez to explain the crisis with Algeria. The popular spokeswoman, Cuca Gamarra, also lamented that the Government’s lines of action in foreign policy, a State policy, are not being shared with the main opposition party.
In a context of economic difficulties and rising energy prices, the PP considers it worrying that the Government is “offending” one of the main gas suppliers. While explanations continue to be requested about the “turn” regarding the resolution of the Sahara conflict and about the espionage of the president’s cell phone. In parallel, the formation of Núñez Feijóo requested the appearance of the Foreign Minister in the Senate. At the moment, the Podemos ministers maintain a prudent attitude.
In this context of diplomatic crisis, former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and former Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos met yesterday in Tangier with the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Naser Burita, during intercultural conferences.
