The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, praised what he described as the «exceptional moment» in bilateral relations with Morocco, expressing gratitude for the kingdom's support during the power outage on April 28. During his appearance before the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, Albares highlighted two significant milestones in the new phase of bilateral relations, which began after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's letter to King Mohammed VI. In the letter, Sánchez described Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara as «the most serious, credible, and realistic basis» for resolving the conflict. Albares pointed to a «historic record» of 23 billion euros in trade exchanges, the reopening of customs in Melilla (which Morocco had unilaterally closed in 2018), and the opening of a new customs office in Ceuta, the first of its kind in the city. The minister also noted that «there is currently a daily crossing of goods in both directions from Monday to Friday», highlighting that 3.5 tons of fresh produce and construction materials have crossed from Morocco to Spain, while hygiene products and electrical and electronic devices travel in the opposite direction. In another context, several deputies took the opportunity to renew their criticism of the government's shift in position on the Western Sahara issue. The spokesperson for the «Bildu» party acknowledged that «having good relations with Morocco is positive», but emphasized that «the price cannot be abandoning Western Sahara». Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Popular Party, Carlos Floriano, criticized the meeting between Albares and Bourita, stating that «in a democratic country, foreign policy cannot be in the hands of a person with absolute power and unilateral actions simply because it suits the Prime Minister». He accused the government of ignoring international law, UN resolutions, and court rulings in favor of unilateral decisions. Regarding customs, Floriano argued that «comparing the historical situation» of commercial customs in Melilla, which has operated since 1866, with the current situation was «an insult to the truth». He also criticized Morocco for determining the type of goods passing through, demanding that the minister clarify the terms of the agreement with Morocco. In response, Albares accused the People's Party (PP) of taking an «anti-Morocco» stance, stating, «Frankly, I do not understand your problem with Morocco. It seems that you long for the days of tensions with Morocco, like the incident on Leila Island». He emphasized that the opening of customs is «a gradual process».
