EUROPE - Germany's introduction of strict controls on all its land borders to crack down on migration and 'Islamist terrorism' has prompted anger from its European neighbours who are loathe to accept migrants turned away by Berlin. Interior minister Nancy Faeser, of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's struggling Social Democrat party (SPD), yesterday announced that harsher restrictions would be implemented across Germany's 2,300-mile land border from September 16. The scheme, which will last six months before review and enable authorities to reject more migrants directly at German borders, represents a significant extension of controls introduced last year on Germany's borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
Now, borders with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Austria will also be subject to the restrictions. The German government’s drastic move is the first time that controls have been placed on all of the country’s borders since the creation of the Schengen Area in the 1990s. Many European countries are supportive of more stringent EU-wide border restrictions to curb migration into the bloc. But they are less enthused by Germany's declaration it will start turning migrants back to neighbouring nations.
Not all of Germany's EU allies reacted in anger to the announcement, however, with Dutch hard-right politician Geert Wilders praising Berlin's move and telling reporters 'the sooner, the better' when asked about border controls. Both AfD and BSW parties are firm advocates against Germany's longstanding support of uncontrolled immigration. 'The failure of Schengen is evident in the increased crime rates, making it clear that changes are needed.'