The investigating judge María Tardón, who is investigating the massive entry into Ceuta on July 30 and 31, has demanded that the Government declassify reports and documentation on said crisis. The judge of the National Court, who urges the Executive to carry out this measure "urgently and in any case within a period of 15 calendar days", considers that this "requested information is relevant to the investigation and does not affect the security of the State." “It is essential for the investigation of the material truth,” Tardón adds in a resolution issued this Tuesday, where he explains his dissatisfaction with the content of the data provided so far by the CNI.
In addition, Tardón has also summoned three Moroccans who entered the autonomous city during those days to testify this Wednesday, as confirmed by legal sources. The magistrate will question them as witnesses and by videoconference; and, in this way, extends the round of appearances scheduled for this week. In fact, this Tuesday three councilors from the North African municipality sat before them, describing the situation of chaos that was generated, as well as the passivity of the Moroccan security forces.
After receiving a complaint from the extra-parliamentary party Iustitia Europa, María Tardón decided to take on the investigation into the mass entry into Ceuta. Although in justifying his decision he pointed mainly against Morocco and indicated that he would investigate the commission of an alleged coordinated and intentional "criminal conduct" "allegedly committed abroad", a good part of his investigations are focusing on the actions carried out "in Spanish territory" on the "articulation" of the means of response" and the management of the "alerts" in the face of the crisis. This Tuesday's statements are precisely framed in this context.
When calling Alberto Ramón Gaitán (Presidency), Nabila Benzina (Health and Social Services) and Alejandro Ramírez (Development, Environment and Urban Services), Tardón explained that the three councilors “had a direct presence in the affected areas or active participation in the management of the crisis.” Furthermore, along the same lines, the magistrate also asked Ceuta for “all the reports” it has prepared on “the impact on the city's essential public services.” And, in fact, the city has already sent him a document that quantifies the “extraordinary costs” at 45 million euros—expenses that respond, among other issues, to reinforcements in security or cleaning.
According to legal sources present during the interrogations this Tuesday, the counselors insisted that, during the days prior to July 30, the arrival of migrants to the city had increased. Of this, as they have added in line with the statement of President Juan Jesús Vivas, the central Government was warned without obtaining a sufficient response of help. At this point, one of them added that it was proposed to the Secretary of State for Security (dependent on the Ministry of the Interior) to place a barrier with buoys to deter entries by sea, but that the Executive responded that this could create a risk of migrants being trapped and putting their lives in danger.
To exemplify the chaos that the crisis generated in the city, the Presidency advisor has also detailed that calls to 112 multiplied. According to the data provided, between July 30 and October 11, more than 12,000 notices have been registered, almost 400% more. Alberto Ramón Gaitán has stressed that the town has sheltered more than 3,500 minors.
For his part, according to legal sources, Alejandro Ramírez explained that the massive entry seemed organized and that the Moroccan gendarmes were in a passive situation - as he said, he saw one looking at his cell phone, another praying, another directing the migrants to cross.
