Spain imposes controls on travelers from Italy after Meloni's refusal

The Spanish government has decided to implement temporary controls for travelers arriving from Italy. This measure follows Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's refusal to lift the existing controls applied to Spanish travelers in Italy.

The controls will be conducted at the ports and airports of the country. This announcement comes in response to the lack of agreement between both governments on normalizing the access for Spanish citizens via sea or air, which had been restricted since August 1.

According to reports, the Spanish government's decision was a reaction to Meloni's disregard of President Pedro Sánchez's warnings about the need to lift these restrictions.

The new controls affect one of the busiest routes within the European Union, impacting approximately 86,000 travelers daily. It is estimated that there are around 500 direct flights between 29 Italian cities and 22 Spanish cities.

The Spanish government has emphasized that these measures are proportionate and aim to protect the interests and dignity of its citizens in the current context of relations between the two nations.