On Thursday, January 16, marked a significant development as Morocco authorized the passage of a truck from Melilla carrying 600 kg of household appliances and air conditioners. This event signaled the end of the commercial customs closure that had been in place since August 1, 2018. In contrast, Moroccan authorities denied entry to a truck from Ceuta on the same day. «This is the second rejection, following a similar incident eight days earlier. At that time, the Moroccan side cited 'technical problems' to justify its decision», according to Iberian media reports. Unlike Melilla, Ceuta has never maintained commercial customs with Morocco. The reopening of customs operations in Melilla has allowed the Spanish government to quell strong criticism from right-wing parties. The People's Party and Vox had accused Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of yielding to Moroccan pressure. However, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares dismissed these accusations. It is worth noting that point 3 of the Joint Declaration, resulting from the April 7, 2022 talks in Rabat between King Mohammed VI and Pedro Sanchez, states that «full normalization of the movement of people and goods will be re-established in an orderly manner, including appropriate customs and people control arrangements on land and sea».
