Germany to expand border measures to stem irregular migration

Germany will impose temporary controls across all of its borders to combat irregular migration entering the nation, a government source told AFP on Monday.

According to the source, the decision was also made to “protect internal security from the current threats posed by Islamist terrorism and cross-border crime”.

Along with the increased measures, Germany plans to make it simpler to send back irregular migrants at the border, according to the source.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has faced rising pressure to curb migrant numbers and crack down on extremists after several suspected Islamist attacks.

Last month, three people were killed in a knife rampage in the western city of Solingen in which the suspect had alleged ties to the Islamic State group.

German police shot dead a man who opened fire on them near the Israeli consulate in Munich on Thursday in what they treated as a foiled “terrorist attack” on the diplomatic mission.

The far-right Alternative for Germany party has seized on the attacks and scored historic wins in two formerly communist eastern German states on September 1, as it readies for national elections a year from now.

The extended border controls will be notified to the European Commission, the source said.

Germany has had temporary controls in place along its border with Austria since 2015 as a result of a large influx of migrants.

Temporary controls along the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland were introduced last year as concerns over migration grew again.

Germany also has land borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

Europe’s Schengen area, which includes 25 of the 27 EU member states and several other countries, allows free travel between them without border controls.

However, member states can reintroduce controls at certain internal borders in case of exceptional circumstances, and several have done so during the Covid pandemic or after attacks.

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