Spain's two main political parties have completely abandoned the North African enclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla, according to an article published by Spanish journalist Pedro Blasco on Tuesday.
Blasco criticized both the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in Madrid for failing to present any initiatives or solutions to support the autonomous territories, such as offering a Gibraltar-style lower tax burden for local businesses.
Ceuta and Melilla are two Spanish autonomous cities located on the northern coast of Africa, sharing land borders with Morocco. As the only European Union territories on mainland Africa, the enclaves represent strategic commercial and geopolitical focal points with unique economic and demographic challenges.
Lack of political initiatives and local emigration
Blasco stated that the highest aspiration for many residents living in Melilla or Ceuta is to leave the enclaves and relocate to mainland Spanish cities such as Cadiz, Malaga, or Madrid.
To illustrate the plight of local residents, Blasco recounted how his friend Salad asked him years ago to assist a Muslim Spanish family moving from Melilla to Getafe, a city near Madrid. He noted that the parents saw no future for their children in Melilla, and although the family faces significant challenges, they are managing to make progress.
The journalist also recalled filing a complaint at the Parador Nacional hotel in Melilla. He stated that an employee politely answered that nobody cares about Melilla except Morocco, an explanation that opened his eyes to the regional situation.
Criticism of central government and 15M comparison
Comparing current civic conditions to past protests, Blasco referenced the 15M anti-austerity movement that occupied the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid during the economic crisis denied by former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. He said that protest eventually degraded into public waste and dirtiness, demonstrating what a neglected city looks like.
Blasco described the current Spanish government's stance toward the enclaves as criminal. He sharply criticized central government ministers, describing them as squatter ministers who presume to lecture overworked doctors on medicine and ethics.
Call for military mobilization
The author argued that the Spanish military must be mobilized to defend the enclaves. He stressed that the army is also needed to provide food to thousands of refugees in order to prevent illness and death among vulnerable populations.
Blasco concluded his commentary by declaring long live Ceuta, long live Melilla, and long live Madrid.
