The German Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser (SPD), is extending border controls with Austria by a further six months. The “temporary internal border controls” at the German-Austrian land border would be rearranged for a period of six months with effect from May 12, her office said today.
Reasons are the “regulation and limitation of irregular migration” as well as the housing situation for refugees in the municipalities, which have further aggravated.
“Maximum irregular migration detected”
Reference was made to the “highest level of irregular migration detected at the EU’s external borders since 2016” last year. The main reasons for this are increased arrivals in Italy and the increase in irregular migration from Turkey and via the countries of the Balkan region. “This has a direct impact on Central and Western Europe and in particular the Federal Republic of Germany on its border with the Republic of Austria.”
Germany introduced controls at the border with Austria in 2015 at the height of the refugee crisis. They have been regularly renewed since then. The previous controls are still valid until May 11th. They will now be extended until November 11th.
