Scholz on irregular migration: “The numbers have to come down”
Published: Thursday, Jul 25th 2024, 22:50
Updated At: Friday, Jul 26th 2024, 16:40
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz considers border controls to be a sensible measure to limit irregular migration to Germany.
"In general, it is our intention to continue to strictly control Germany's borders," the SPD politician told the "Saarbrücker Zeitung" newspaper. "We want to limit irregular migration, I have announced that. The numbers must come down."
Migration for work is necessary and desirable. "But there are too many people who come to us irregularly and claim to be seeking protection from persecution, but are unable to provide any grounds for asylum and are then rejected," added Scholz. He also referred to existing controls, such as at the border with France during the Olympic Games. These are to remain in place until September 30.
Last October, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) ordered stationary controls at the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland and registered them with the EU Commission. These continue in order to limit irregular migration and combat people smuggling. They are currently limited until December 15 for Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, and until November 11 for Austria, where controls have been in place since autumn 2015.
AfD wants "seamless" border protection
None of this is enough for the leader of the AfD parliamentary group, Alice Weidel. The co-chairwoman of the right-wing populists said: "We also need effective and seamless protection of our borders away from the main traffic routes, the removal of incentives for illegal immigration and a deportation offensive that is not just about announcements, but about numbers."
CDU/CSU considers more rejections possible and necessary
Skeptical tones are coming from the Christian Democrats, who are proposing a different strategy - also in view of the personnel costs for the federal police. "We will be watching very closely to see what the Chancellor's cloudy words on border controls are worth," said the deputy CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader, Andrea Lindholz, to the German Press Agency.
The CDU/CSU is convinced that Germany should register controls with the EU Commission for all border sections in the longer term. Only then would the federal police be able to take action directly at the border and also carry out rejections there. After all, France has been practicing this for some time without the Schengen area breaking down. "This does not mean that every border crossing is and must be checked around the clock with full manpower," explained the CSU politician.
Border controls should not actually take place in the Schengen area, which includes most EU countries as well as non-EU countries such as Switzerland. However, due to the tense migration situation, several countries are now carrying out checks at some of their internal Schengen borders.
Over 6400 rejections within six weeks
During the European Football Championship, checks were carried out at all German borders. According to the Federal Police Headquarters in Potsdam, a total of 9,172 unauthorized entries were detected in the period from June 7 to July 19. Of these unauthorized entries, 6,401 people were turned back, it said. According to the information provided, the police also provisionally arrested 275 suspected smugglers.
In the first half of this year, 121,416 people applied for asylum at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Germany for the first time, around 19% fewer than in the same period last year. War refugees from Ukraine are currently still being accepted in accordance with the EU mass influx directive. They do not have to apply for asylum.
According to experts, the additional border controls have contributed to the fact that slightly fewer people seeking protection have been coming to Germany since the fall. Another factor is probably the border protection measures of other countries, for example along the so-called Balkan route. At present, practically only people who have been banned from re-entering the country or who have not applied for asylum are being turned back.
©Keystone/SDA
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