Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares has confirmed that coordination between Spain and Morocco on customs management is ongoing. He firmly denied rumors that the customs offices in Ceuta and Melilla had been permanently closed, attributing such claims to parties he said were «trying to undermine the good relations between the two countries». Albares explained that Morocco's temporary suspension of commercial customs activity is part of a bilateral agreement that allows for reducing or halting the movement of goods when necessary, particularly during high-demand periods such as Operation Marhaba, which currently requires full attention to passenger transit, according to Spanish media. «We are in direct contact with Moroccan authorities, and I have personally spoken with my Moroccan counterpart», Albares said, stressing that cooperation will continue within this joint framework. He also emphasized that «at no point have the crossings been permanently closed», describing reports to the contrary as a «misinterpretation», which he hoped was not made «in bad faith». However, he warned that those spreading such claims are «the same actors who do not want strong relations between Spain and Morocco». Albares made these remarks on Monday during a panel discussion titled «Spain in the World – Part Three», hosted by the Menéndez Pelayo International University in the city of Santander.
