MADRID, Spain – The visit of Fernando Grande-Marlaska to Ceuta ended on Tuesday with a confrontation between the minister’s team and the journalists deployed to cover his presence in the autonomous city. Marlaska appeared in the afternoon at the Government Delegation after visiting the Temporary Foreign Reception Centre of El Tarajal and the border crossing, but the press conference concluded after only four journalists were allowed to ask questions.
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According to what the minister’s press team had previously communicated, Marlaska would make a brief institutional statement and subsequently take questions from the media. However, of the more than 20 media outlets gathered, only four professionals were able to intervene. The situation sparked anger among several journalists, who reproached the Ministry for not having respected the announced question session. In video footage of the moment, several reporters can be heard making remarks such as “Minister, there are a lot of us,” “we’ve been working since 7 in the morning” and “this is a disgrace!”
Marlaska’s team justified the conclusion of the appearance by arguing that the journalists who did intervene had extended themselves too much, and assured that there would be other occasions to speak with the minister. The episode occurred after a day in which the Interior Minister maintained an especially guarded agenda. During his visits to the CATE and the El Tarajal border, Marlaska did not get out of the vehicle, and the media were also unable to approach him. His team had indicated that it would be in the afternoon when he would attend to the press.
