Spain’s Interior Ministry said on Monday that random border checks on flights from Italy had been taking place since the weekend. By midday on 10 August, 1,033 travellers from third countries arriving in Spain on 58 flights from Italy had been checked, it said. According to the ministry, a total of 109 Policía Nacional officers took part in the measures.
The checks began at 00:00 on Saturday, 8 August. They specifically target passengers without the nationality of an EU member state who arrive from Italy. The background is the recent increase in migrant arrivals in Italy; in this context, Spanish authorities are checking the entry and residence status of third-country nationals arriving in Spain via Italian airports.
According to detailed figures published by the Interior Ministry, 223 checks were carried out at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport across five flights; 17 police officers were deployed there. At Barcelona-El Prat airport, 552 travellers on 18 flights were checked, with 29 officers deployed. Further checks took place at other Spanish airports. According to the authorities, the flights and passengers selected for checks are chosen at random and according to the situation.
The Spanish measures apply to entry by air and are part of regular border monitoring within the Schengen Area where third-country nationals are concerned. Police are checking travel documents and residence requirements in particular. Systematic border checks at internal borders have not been introduced; the checks now reported are described as random.
The latest figures are based on information provided by the Interior Ministry on Monday. The ministry says the checks are intended to establish the status of third-country nationals travelling from Italy to Spain. The statements available did not provide information about any refusals of entry or infringements.
As of 10 August, the reported figures remain 1,033 people checked on 58 flights, with 109 police officers deployed, focusing on the airports in Madrid and Barcelona. The Interior Ministry has said it will provide further updates as the situation-dependent checks continue.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).