Spain wants to remove razor wire on its borders
Spain's new Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has announced in an interview that he will do all he can to have the razor wire removed from the border fences in Melilla and Ceuta. The Spanish press is split over the issue.
Wounds don't stop refugees
Desperate people must not be deterred by means of razor blades, El Periódico de Catalunya concurs:
“Deep cuts - this is what they're designed for. They penetrate skin and flesh and sever nerves. ... Their use in the fences that surround Melilla has been systematically condemned by numerous human rights organisations as well as the EU. ... They won't stop people who are willing to do anything, including endure torture, slavery or death, to escape the violence, hunger and misery in their country of origin. Precisely because the horror of those who are fleeing is worse than the uncertainty they face when they embark on the journey to Europe, it is vital to define common migration policies. ... More reflection and planning and less repression are without doubt the paths that should be explored.”
Fences protect Europe's democracies
The freshly sworn-in interior minister should refrain from making hasty decisions, ABC warns:
“Without doubt this system can cause severe injury to those who climb the fences, but therein lies its deterrent and preventive impact. ... If the razor wire is removed an alternative must be found to better secure the border with Morocco. Any measure that is withdrawn must be replaced with another. Moreover, any decision on border control measures must be made known to the Moroccan authorities and have the technical support of the security forces operating in this territory. Morocco has proven to be a reliable partner in two areas that are essential for Spain: anti-terrorism and migration policy, and it would be a mistake to separate the one from the other because an analysis of the risks and threats to European democracies doesn't allow this.”