Germany for ten days now implements border controls in order to reduce the number of illegal entries migrantsWhat are the results?
A week after the introduction of new border controls in the north and west of Germany, the Police Union (GdP) has spoken out about the measures - and is doubtful that such controls make sense. The border police does not control every vehicle, but only occasionally, and those that seem suspicious to them, he writes Deutsche says.
The goal of significantly reducing illegal migration has not been achieved so far, said the president of the Federal Police and Customs Department at the Police Union, Andreas Roskopf, in an interview with the Editorial Network of the German RND. So far, relatively few people without regular residence status or people smugglers have been detected. "And the border returns that are currently happening on the western border are therefore few and far between," Roskopf said.
Main roads are avoided.
Roskopf says that checkpoints and main roads, since the controls were introduced - are simply being bypassed. "Even the bus carriers avoid them and take a detour," he said and added that no intimidating action by the border controls could be observed.
"A large number of people seeking protection and asylum are still referred to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in the interior of the country," claims Roskopf. "According to European law, we are obliged to refer persons seeking protection and asylum to the competent institution - as long as there is no ban on re-entry," he explained and emphasized that only that institution is competent to check.
The police, in addition, lack the equipment to be able to work as a modern investigative police, says Roskopf. In this regard, he stated that there is a lack of modern investigative vehicles, mobile checkpoints, places for gradual reduction of speed on roads and lighting.
"Autumn and winter are just around the corner, and the government now has to see how it will create working conditions that are at least somewhat acceptable." "Now we have missed the holy days in recent years in that regard," said Roskopf.
Controls at both the northern and western borders
Since last week, controls have been implemented at all German borders to limit the number of illegal entries into the country. In a letter to the European Commission, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Feser (SPD) explained this in a letter to the European Commission with "dangers from Islamist terrorism" and "cases of knife attacks and violent crimes committed by refugees". Border controls at the land borders with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg are new.
Controls have been carried out on the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland for a long time, and there were already controls on the border with France because of the Olympic Games. Controls are currently limited to six months.
In the Schengen area, to which Germany and all its neighboring countries belong, such border controls are not actually foreseen. Only in case of "extraordinary circumstances" can a member of the Schengen area introduce border controls and only "temporarily" and as a "last resort". The free movement of people and goods are among the main pillars of the European Union.
