The German government announced on Monday the temporary introduction of controls at all land borders of the German country in order to “reduce irregular migration and improve internal security“from September 16th.
The German Interior Ministry announced on Monday that it had notified the European Commission (EC) of its intention to introduce temporary border controls with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark over the next six months, in addition to those already in place in the border areas with Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland.
“We are strengthening our internal security and maintaining our firm course against irregular immigration,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said during an appearance in Berlin where she announced the new controls.
The Social Democratic minister stressed that this measure includes the possibility of rejecting at the border migrants caught with false papers or who do not have a visa allowing them to enter Germany.
Since October 2023, when temporary controls were introduced at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland, 30,000 people have already been rejected who intended to enter irregularly from these countries, he assured.
Faeser said that at present, German police can only reject people at the border who do not apply for asylum.
However, he said his ministry was studying how to carry out “massive rejections” in the future and had found a legally sound formula that he would present on Tuesday at a meeting with the opposition and regional governments.
From Suspected jihadist kills three in knife attack Last month, in western Germany, migration was once again at the top of the country’s political agenda.
Shortly afterwards, the Interior Ministry presented a package of measures to strengthen gun rights, cut benefits for asylum seekers already registered in other countries and facilitate the expulsion of violent criminals, which was approved this Monday by the Council of Ministers.
In the meantime, the Christian Democratic opposition has proposed a state pact on immigration to the government coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals, on the condition that in future asylum seekers will also be turned back at the German borders.
In the regional elections on September 1 in the states of Saxony and Thuringia, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party that has made tougher immigration policy a pillar of its political platform, came first and second, respectively, with a third of the vote.
He is also expected to do well in the state of Brandenburg, where the vote will take place on September 22.
Temporary border controls with Austria They will be in effect until November 1st. and at the borders with Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland until December 15, although the Interior Ministry indicated that these measures should also be extended to the rest of the borders.
