Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) wants to continue to hold on to the German border controls. For this he receives criticism - also from within his own ranks.
- The inner European borders have been tight for several weeks.
- Because of Corona - pandemic several states had allowed at short intervals only necessary border crossings.
- Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer wants to continue to hold the border controls . But now there is resistance - from your own party.
- Here is our Corona Virus Reporting Guide *, the Sars CoV-2 Basic Facts *, the Falling Numbers Map * for Germany * and our “Corona News” * on Facebook.
Update 12.50 p.m .:
The protest for one
Opening the EU borders
is getting louder. People are now taking to the streets for an immediate end to German border controls on Luxembourg and France and the reopening of all crossings. In Echternach, Luxembourg, there is one on Friday from 12 noon
Protest action
around 50 regional political representatives from Luxembourg and Germany are expected. "We want to show how difficult the situation is for us at the moment: Not only for all cross-border commuters, but also for cross-border friendship," said a spokeswoman for the city of Echternach, which lies on the border with Germany.
An action is also planned in the Palatinate on Friday from 12 noon: To set a sign for a united Europe and Franco-German friendship, politicians meet at the currently closed bridge between the German Scheibenhardt and the French Scheibenhard.
Chancellor's Minister Helge Braun (CDU) meanwhile advocates that Germany should step in line with its neighboring countries when it comes to opening borders . "The beginning of these border controls was that business was up in Germany and no longer in the neighboring country, and then there was a lot of movement because people came over the border to shop," said the CDU politician on Thursday on Deutschlandfunk . An “overcrowding of the inner cities”, which has the consequence, we could “just not use”. However, border controls at the European internal borders are "always only with good reason and for a limited time".
At the same time, Braun warned of too much relaxation in terms of socializing and traveling . "If you look back, you can see that the great contagion risks lurk there."
Corona virus: criticism of Seehofers border controls
Original article from May 7, 2020:
Berlin - Those who were considered neighbors a few weeks ago are now separated with fences. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) was considered submerged in the corona crisis *. Now he's talking about a conflict. He said the controls at the German borders made sense, he had emphasized last week and announced that he wanted to keep the border closed for the time being. Twelve members of the Union's Bundestag and MEP have now asked the Federal Minister of the Interior to immediately end the controls on the German borders ordered by the corona pandemic * . In recent weeks, it has been argued that border controls are largely obsolete due to comparable measures in EU countries.
People meet at the German-Swiss border between Constance and Kreuzlingen on Lake Constance.
© dpa / Felix Kästle
"After more than seven weeks, there must be an end to lattice fences and barriers in the heart of Europe ", says the statement, which is available to the German Press Agency. The editorial network Germany (RND / Thursday) had previously reported on this. The declaration is signed by, among others, former Union parliamentary group leader Volker Kauder, parliamentary group vice president Andreas Jung (both CDU) and Daniel Caspary, chairman of the CDU / CSU group in the European Parliament).
Coronavirus: EU borders closed seven weeks ago
“Families are cut up: adult children, for example, are not allowed to see their parents unless they are in need of care or sick - and siblings remain on two sides of the border fence. Commuters continue to be hindered, ”complained the parliamentarians. "That is why we are now calling for the immediate reopening of all closed border crossings on the borders with Switzerland, France and Luxembourg," said the MPs. By May 15 at the latest, all limit restrictions imposed as emergency measures would then no longer apply. "It can't go a day longer," they warn.
The MPs also urged EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) not to extend the exemption for border controls beyond May 15th.
Munich's Merkur also comments *: “It would be more urgent, however, that the federal government take care of its real task : a concept for a cautious but Europe-worthy border policy and a strong plan for an economic stimulus package after this crisis. Maybe in Berlin you might want to focus on that. ”
Coronavirus: Seehofer wants to continue to control EU borders - criticism comes from within our own ranks
The controls were first ordered in mid-March and then extended to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Germany. Since then, people who are neither Germans nor permanently resident here can only come to Germany for a "valid reason for travel" . EU citizens who travel through Germany to their home country or truck drivers are allowed to enter the country. Entry is also restricted to certain border crossings. Since April 10, almost all returnees in Germany have had to quarantine at home for two weeks after spending several days abroad.
Video: Austria also closed the borders weeks ago
dpa / nai
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.