Briefing
Melilla. Sabrina Moh, Spanish Government Delegate in Melilla and Secretary General of the PSOE in the city, sharply criticised the president of the Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla, Juan José Imbroda, on 19 September 2026. Moh accused him of turning his official speech for Día de Melilla into a political appearance for the Partido Popular and thereby undermining the institutional character of the event.
Moh explicitly called for a speech that was “integrative and inclusive” and represented all residents. In her public response, she disputed several of Imbroda’s statements and instead highlighted the central government’s achievements and measures, such as investment in transport and connectivity and additional education staff at the start of the 2026/2027 school year. On security issues, she referred to additional staff and investment at the border crossings.
Imbroda, who is also chairman of the regional Partido Popular, had also mentioned national PP chairman Alberto Núñez Feijóo in his speech; according to reports, the audience booed government representatives and applauded Feijóo. The dispute over the speech’s tone and content is part of the ongoing political disagreement between the city government and the Delegación del Gobierno en Melilla , in which issues such as connectivity, security and urban development are repeatedly debated.
Moh did not provide detailed, factually substantiated figures for the staff increases or connections she mentioned in her public statements; her remarks form part of local political communication. However, independent reports by regional media confirm that the controversy was widely discussed. Whether the speech should be considered a political appearance is a matter of political judgement; Moh’s accusation should clearly be understood as an attributed position.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).