During a parliamentary session on Wednesday, September 18, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares dismissed Vox's proposals to address irregular migration. Albares criticized initiatives that could potentially lead to «conflicts with neighboring countries», including Morocco, according to Europa Press. Carlos Flores Juberias, a member of the far-right party Vox, urged the leftist coalition government to «immediately deport individuals who enter Spain illegally or commit crimes and to cancel aid to cooperation and development organizations that promote irregular migration». In his intervention, Albares praised Morocco's cooperation with Spanish security forces in protecting the borders of Ceuta and Melilla. He emphasized that Moroccan cooperation had prevented thousands of people from entering Spain irregularly and urged Voxto recognize this effort. The Vox deputy responded by questioning the «price» of Moroccan cooperation in defending the borders. He alleged that Morocco uses migration as leverage, turning on the flow of migrants when things go bad and closing it when things go well. He also accused Moroccan police of beating migrants before they reach the fence. A survey by the Public Center for Social Research, published on Wednesday, revealed that irregular migration is the top concern of Spaniards, with 30.4 percent of opinions expressed, compared to 11.2 percent in a previous survey conducted by the center in June.
