"Expecting Understanding" - Söder's Confidence in Neighboring Countries in Border Dispute
Neighbours' Consensus is Supported by Söder in Asylum Dispute
Take a seat, mate! Let's chat about the buzz around Germany's border control scene. Bavaria's big cheese, Markus Söder, is pretty confident that his European neighbors will come around to the new border control practices. He spilled the beans to "Bild am Sonntag," saying, "I've got a feeling they'll accept this in the end."
Söder's saying that we'll commence chats with our neighbors about the nitty-gritty as soon as possible. Sounds like more measures are on the way against illegal immigration. Here's what he had to say, "This is a solid start, but we've got more up our sleeve. Not just tweaking the citizenship law, but putting a halt to flights from Afghanistan and jacking up the deportations through the expulsion and expansion of safe countries of origin."
But, what about those asylum seekers that the Federal Police are turning away? Well, according to Söder, it's all part of the plan. He's talking about rejecting every asylum and protection seeker, except for a few exceptions like pregnant ladies, the sick, and unaccompanied minors. The Federal Interior Minister’s instruction is crystal clear for the border cops. Legal responsibility for these measures lies with the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Now, let's dive into the juicy details. As Bild am Sonntag reported, a whopping 19 asylum seekers were turned away at the borders on Thursday and Friday, despite asylum applications. On both days, the Federal Police recorded 365 illegal entries. In total, 286 migrants were turned away, mainly due to a lack of visas or other documents, false docs, or entry bans.
Additionally, the cops nabbed 14 smugglers, executed 48 open arrest warrants, and picked up 9 extremists or Islamist individuals at the entry. Stern stuff!
And, here's where the enrichment insights come in. Germany’s neighboring countries have displayed mixed feelings regarding the tightened border controls and asylum seeker rejections. Poland was a strong opponent when first implemented, with their leader Donald Tusk calling it a violation of the Schengen passport-free area principles.
Austria, on the other hand, has expressed reluctance about taking back migrants turned away by Germany. Despite some resistance, German officials claim that there's been ongoing coordination with countries like France, Austria, and Poland, and that the planned changes have already received "very broad approval" from these neighbors.
Germany's policy shift is part of a broader regional trend, with multiple Schengen countries tightening internal border checks due to concerns about irregular migration, security, and public order. These joint actions hint at a degree of alignment with Germany’s policy, although the extent of full acceptance of denying asylum seekers at borders varies.
Under EU and international law, Germany is generally required to admit asylum seekers to process their claims, which limits its ability to outright reject them at borders. Germany's extension of temporary border controls until at least September 2025 showcases ongoing efforts to curb irregular migration while raising questions about how these controls reconcile with EU asylum obligations.
In summary, Söder's confidence in his neighbors may be well-founded, as there's evidence of some level of approval among certain countries like France and Austria. However, not all neighbors have been comfortable with Germany's stricter border controls, as Poland and Austria have vocalized concerns. The story is far from over, as Germany's moves are part of a wider regional trend toward stricter internal border checks to address migration and security challenges.
Source: ntv.de, mau/rts
- Markus Söder
- Germany
- Europe
- Asylum policy
- Asylum seekers
- Federal Police
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Afghanistan
- Deportation
- Poland
- Austria
- Schengen area
- Irregular migration
- Markus Söder stated that discussions would ensue with neighboring countries regarding stricter immigration policies, including the rejection of asylum seekers in some cases.
- The implementation of this policy includes halting flights from Afghanistan, increasing deportations, and expanding the list of safe countries of origin to deny asylum.
- Among these countries, Poland has shown strong opposition, whereas Austria has expressed reluctance about taking back migrants turned away by Germany.
- Despite some resistance, German officials maintain ongoing coordination with France, Austria, and Poland, and assert that the planned changes have received "very broad approval" from these neighbors.
