Oct. 16 (UPI) — Germany enhanced its effort to slow the stream of asylum seekers coming to its country by introducing new border checks at its boundaries with the Czech Republic, Poland and Switzerland on Monday.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser notified the European Commission that the updated border controls will run for 10 days with possible extensions for up to two months.
“We are in close contact with our neighboring states and the federal states so that all measures on both sides of our borders merge in the best possible way. In coordination with Switzerland, we have decided to extend our actions on the basis of the joint action plan,” Faeser said.
Faeser said the new controls should have “little impact” on the everyday lives of German commuters, trade and travel.
“We see how decisive it was that we strengthened the Federal Police with 1,000 additional positions each year,” she said. “The Federal Police is also equipped for further intensified measures. I would like to thank the civil servants of the Federal Police very much for their strong commitment.”
Germany last month implemented temporary checks on its borders with Poland and the Czech Republic and ordered joint border patrols with German, Polish and Czech police.
The interior ministry on Monday also renewed border checks with Austria that have been in place since 2015.
Faeser added that Germany wants to return to internal borders as quickly as possible.
“The common European asylum system is the decisive step towards this with comprehensive protection of the EU’s external borders, “Faeser said. “We must conclude EU legislation now.”
