Belgian premier urges EU leaders to examine Ceuta border unrest

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Tuesday called for a thorough examination of the events in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta after thousands of migrants from Morocco reportedly attempted to reach the territory by sea last week.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of European interior ministers, De Wever said the EU needed to establish exactly what happened, according to Belga news agency.

"It seems as though there is an open door and that anyone wanting to put pressure on us can use migration as a geopolitical weapon. That is particularly frustrating," he said.

De Wever said discussions among EU leaders were necessary to determine the circumstances of the incident.

The Belgian prime minister also said he understood calls from some countries to consider excluding Spain from the Schengen area, while stressing that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has the democratic mandate to pursue his government's migration policies.

"It is clear that Europe must close its borders," De Wever said, while adding that Sanchez has the right to implement the policies on which he was elected.

More than 50,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco last week.

As of Friday evening, Spanish authorities estimated that more than 48,300 migrants had returned, while 72 people died during the crisis.

Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish-administered enclaves on Morocco's northern coast and constitute the EU's only land borders with the African continent.