The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that the checks would begin at midnight and initially last ten days. The aim is to prevent smugglers from taking alternative routes through Austria. A few hours earlier, Poland and the Czech Republic had also announced controls that would begin at midnight and would initially be limited to ten days.
All four countries are part of the Schengen area. All forms of border control between Member States have effectively been lifted. Since the refugee crisis in 2015, there have been repeated – temporary – controls in the Schengen area with the aim of preventing smuggling and illegal migration. Austria has long exercised controls in Slovenia and Hungary. Critics see this as a restriction on the freedom to travel.
debate
Flight and migration: What are the benefits of border controls?
“Change routes”
“We do this because we know – from previous experience – that after such checks smugglers react very quickly and change their route,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). In recent months, the number of asylum requests and apprehensions has decreased due to intensive controls – “in Hungary and also in Slovenia”. The extension of this control to Slovakia is intended to avoid creating a “control gap”. Karner also emphasized that cooperation with safe third countries, countries of origin and countries of transit is necessary.
The focus is on “combating the brutal and inhumane smuggling mafia”. The Czech Interior Ministry said the checks would be carried out “in coordination with neighboring countries”.
Border controls introduced with Slovakia
Austria introduces border controls with Slovakia. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) announced this in a press release called at short notice. Austria followed the Czech Republic and Poland, which also announced controls along their borders with Slovakia today.
Criticism from different sides
NEOS protested against the restriction of freedom to travel. The club’s deputy leader, Nikolaus Scherak, called for European solutions to the refugee issue – such as “repatriation agreements, faster procedures at external borders and the implementation of a residency requirement for asylum seekers”. The FPÖ, however, believes that the new measure is not precise enough. “Your border controls (Karner’s note) are nothing more than a ‘welcome service’ for illegal immigrants,” said security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer, calling for an “asylum stop” in a broadcast.
The numbers have increased significantly
Recently, the number of people arriving in Slovakia has increased significantly. According to the Slovak police, a total of more than 24,500 migrants who arrived through Hungary and Serbia had already been identified this year by the end of August – in the whole of last year there were only 10,900. Looking at the last few weeks, the Ministry of the Interior even wrote on Tuesday an increase of 900 percent compared to the same period last year.
Berlin has already increased controls
On Friday, Germany had already agreed to increase joint action with the Czech Republic and Poland against smugglers, including joint police patrols. On Wednesday, the German Interior Ministry also announced additional controls directly at the border with Poland and the Czech Republic. Unlike the previously practiced covert search, these must also take place “on the border line”. However, stationary and permanent border controls will be waived.
Graphics: APA/ORF.at; Source: APA
Slovakia for the “European solution”
The outgoing Slovak Prime Minister, Ludovit Odor, reacted with incomprehension and announced that his country would respond to the steps of the three neighboring states, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic. Odor spoke out in favor of a “European solution” at the EU’s external borders. If a Member State strengthens the protection of its internal border, this triggers a “domino effect”. “It costs all of us money and it’s not clear that it has any benefit,” Odor explained.
However, the winner of the weekend’s Slovak parliamentary elections, Robert Fico, announced immediate border controls with Hungary in the event of a government under his leadership during the election campaign – and raised the prospect of using “force” to solve the problem. migration problem.
According to the head of the Slovak police, Stefan Hamran, the majority of people who come to Slovakia come from Syria. They cannot be detained or deported because the civil war continues in their country. Most of them want to reach Western European countries.
Accusations against Russia
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich recently blamed Russia and Belarus for the sharp rise in the number of asylum applications in Germany. “We are experiencing a series of hybrid wars by Russia, in which refugees are specifically transported and smuggled directly from Syria and other crisis areas with the aim of destabilizing Europe,” Mützenich told the “Augsburger Allgemeine” (edition Monday). ).
The sharp increase in the number of asylum seekers entering Germany through the borders of Poland and the Czech Republic suggests that many refugees are being deliberately smuggled into the EU from Russia via Belarus via diversion. “It is clear that these people are fleeing war and oppression, but Russia is shamelessly exploiting this situation,” Mützenich said.