Approximately 60,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco this week. As of Friday evening, more than 48,000 people had voluntarily returned to Morocco, Spanish officials said.

The influx comes after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish enclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

Michal signed a joint letter with 21 other member states addressed to the EU's top leaders on Saturday calling for "an immediate and coordinated European response."

"We cannot allow uncontrolled mass crossings, the instrumentalisation of migration or other hybrid threats to create the perception that illegal entry into the European Union is possible. That a migrant's illegal entry can turn into legal stay," the statement says.

It added that ministers should consider enhanced support from the EU's border force, Frontex, and "the effectiveness of EU cooperation with Morocco."

Estonia, together with 21 other Member States, calls on @eucopresident, @vonderleyen, and @MichealMartinTD to take immediate action to jointly support Spain in restoring effective control of the EU's external border.

Europe must respond with unity to uncontrolled mass crossings,… pic.twitter.com/RxMdi8zBKh

— Kristen Michal (@KristenMichalPM) August 1, 2026

The letter was signed by representatives from Italy, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden.

Schengen Area 'must be preserved'

He also responded to comments from the chairman of the opposition party Isamaa, Urmas Reinsalu, who said suspending the Schengen free movement zone would be justified in such a critical situation, as Italy temporarily did with Spain earlier this week.

Writing on social media, Michal said: "The creation of new internal borders within the Schengen Area is in no way in the interests of Estonia or Estonians. None of us wants to return to a time when travelling overland to Central Europe meant passing through more than five cumbersome border checks."

Michal stressed that Estonia treats every illegal border crossing with the "utmost seriousness" and is already helping other countries, such as Latvia, with their border issues.

"Those who organize such migration will be punished, and those who arrive in Estonia illegally will be detained and sent back to the countries they came from," he wrote.

"The Schengen Area is a great value that must be preserved."

'Full solidarity with Spain'

While other countries took to social media to criticize Spain on Friday, Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs sent a message of solidarity.

"The developments in Ceuta are deeply concerning. Estonia stands in full solidarity with Spain as it faces unprecedented migration pressure," Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) wrote on social media.

"Spain has both the right and the responsibility to protect its borders – and the European Union's external border. No one has the right to enter the European Union without abiding by our common rules. Respect for those rules is essential to safeguarding the integrity of the Schengen Area," he continued.

The developments in Ceuta are deeply concerning.

Estonia stands in full solidarity with Spain as it faces unprecedented migration pressure. Spain has both the right and the responsibility to protect its borders – and the European Union's external border.

No one has the right…

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) July 31, 2026

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