Germany to maintain extra border controls

At a conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer defended the strengthening of border controls, which were launched in early November and called for the short extension of them. Police have the right to control people and vehicles directly at the border and up to 30km from it.

The main goal, Seehofer said, is to find people who, despite refusing to ask for asylum, want to enter Germany again. Boaj took the case of Lebanese clan leader Ibrahim Miri, who, although expelled, returned to Germany illegally in October.

Very often we have found what we were looking for

The expanded border controls are already conducted for 27 days, said in Berlin. During these days it has been prevented from entering the country of 178 people, Seehofer said. In these raids the police often found “looking for”, said German Police President Dieter Romann. In all, over 100,000 controls have been made.

Roman made a long list of the discovery of other dolphins during these checks: For example, 177 persons were caught in the search. There have been 1235 violations of the right to stand, 406 drug discoveries, 205 violations of the arms-holding law, 47 document frauds, and 19 people with extreme political background.

The “The largest” is reported from the border with Austria and France. Because of these high figures “strong police pressure is necessary to ensure the safety of citizens”, Seehofer said and added: “Internal security starts at limits”

The president of the German Police highlighted another point: Prisons, especially with premonition points, are soon filled. There are 577 such parade points throughout the country. This had long been criticized. According to Roman currently, there are 248,000 people to leave Germany.

The environmental party (The Greens) named <x0farce” the balance of Seethofer. “With its balance for controls the minister deceives the population that it is strengthening security and with continued border controls endangers European unity created in decades.”, Greens' expert on domestic politics, Irene Mihalic, said.

Border controls must stay

“Controls intelligent border”, as they called Seehofer, will be held in force “until external borders in the European Union are guaranteed. How this will be found, Seehofer did not say.

The EU decided in late October to expand the EU border defence agency Frontex to 10,000 employees. Recently, the number of illegal entry into the EU has decreased again (see the graph).

For years Germany has been trying to improve the European-level asylum system. So far, successes have been modest. Seehofer recently tried to persuade other partners in the EU to have a fixed rate of refugee accession coming by ship from the Mediterranean. Only a few countries agreed. Another example: Seehofer demanded that refugees be checked at “arrival centre” on the EU's outskirts. But he found no partners in the Balkans or North Africa to co-operate. Even the European asylum system, the so-called Dublin Agreement, is considered obsolete.

Many hopes are now directed to the new German president of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyeen. In addition, Germany in 2020 is president of the EU Council. Seehofer voiced his confidence that progress in this framework can be achieved. The German Interior Minister again promoted his model to deploy to external boundaries, who has the chance for asylum and who should return home.

Germany Helps Other States

Seehofer addressed the EU countries' appeals, so that new border controls in Germany are „standards for all Schengen countries” -- that is, the European area -- where Europeans can move freely. Asked by the DW, Seehofer correctly specified that „will use every opportunity to talk to EU partners”.

Germany continues to provide technical personnel and assistance. Thus a large number of thermal cameras will be sent to Croatia after its request. Even with Bosnia there is a co-operation, especially to improve the humanitarian situation of refugees.