A long-standing debate in Germany over how to deal with migrants has intensified after deadly knife attacks in Solingen and Mannheim this year, prompting Europe’s largest economy to expand border controls despite protests from neighboring countries.
The suspect from Solingen, a Syrian citizen, had evaded an order to be deported from Germany to Bulgaria, where he entered the European Union for the first time. And an Afghan citizen is in custody after the attack in Mannheim in May that left a police officer dead.
On September 16, Germany expanded controls to the borders of all nine neighboring countries in hopes of curbing the flow of illegal migrants, tackling threats from Islamist terrorist groups and tackling cross-border criminal organizations.
However, the move has sparked protests from other EU member states.
Germany lies at the heart of Europe and of the visa-free Schengen zone, which is designed to allow the free movement of people and goods, a core principle of the EU.
Poland, Austria and Greece are among the countries complaining about the border controls, which will initially last six months.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned the move as “unacceptable” and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said a “unilateral abolition of Schengen” was not the answer.
German spot checks at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland were already in place and have now been expanded to France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.
With national elections looming in Germany next year, the knife attacks have put intense political pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government to toughen its stance on migrants and asylum seekers. The issue has dominated recent state elections, which have significantly boosted anti-immigrant parties.
But this does not apply exclusively to Germany.
The success of far-right parties in elections in key European countries is pushing even centrist and left-wing governments to tighten their migration policies, raising concerns among activists.
Experts: Border controls will not curb migration
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung that there are “alternatives to restrictive measures”, citing faster and fairer asylum systems as an example.
“A fixation on border controls will not deter the truly desperate,” Grandi added.
Migration researcher Gerald Knaus does not expect that the expansion of border controls to all German land borders will lead to a noticeable decrease in the number of asylum seekers.
“Anyone who expects that border controls will lead to a reduction in irregular migration is creating an expectation that cannot be achieved,” he told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.
Border controls were also not a means of preventing Islamist terrorism as many of the perpetrators became radicalized in Germany, he added.
What is Schengen?
The border-free Schengen area provides free movement for more than 425 million EU citizens and non-EU citizens who legally live, work, travel or study in the bloc.
The Schengen Zone, named after a village in Luxembourg, started in 1985 as an intergovernmental project involving five countries: Luxembourg, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Schengen zone grew in waves and now includes most EU countries – except Cyprus and Ireland – as well as non-EU countries Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Today it is considered the largest zone of free movement in the world. According to EU figures, 3.5 million people cross internal borders every day.
Although Germany’s decision has sparked controversy, it is not the only Schengen member with border controls.
Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden also have temporary measures.
Bulgaria and Romania: half in, half out?
While the established members struggle with their attachment to Schengen, Bulgaria and Romania are still trying to complete their membership of the free movement area, despite Austrian opposition.
Since March 31, Bulgaria and Romania have partially joined the Schengen area.
Controls on domestic maritime and air traffic have been lifted, while land border controls remain in place. EU officials expect a decision on full Schengen membership by the end of the year.
In December last year, Austria was the only EU country not in favor of a complete abolition of border controls at the Bulgarian and Romanian Schengen borders, due to migration problems.
Austria’s veto and its new one migration portfolio
Austria’s candidate EU commissioner is Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, who is in line to receive the European Commission’s migration portfolio.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s decision to nominate Brunner sparked controversy in Brussels, given Austria’s ongoing Schengen blockade and his lack of direct experience.
However, Romanian EU parliamentarian Siegfried Mureşan pointed out that Austria will no longer be able to use the migration issue as a pretext to prevent Bulgaria and Romania from joining Schengen.
“The solution to this problem will depend on their own commissioner,” Mureşan said in the European Parliament last week.
The new commissioners-designate still need to be prepared by the EU legislature before the new commission can be finally confirmed.
Historically, not all candidates pass the hearing, in which case their countries must nominate a new person.
The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, AGERPRES, APA, BTA, CTK, dpa, EFE and STA as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project.