Border area with Poland: Horst Seehofer announces increased controls

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Iraqi migrants with their children surrounded by Polish border police (October 14, 2021)

Photo: KACPER PEMPEL / REUTERS

Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) has expressed understanding for the planned construction of a border barrier on Poland's border with Belarus.

"It is legitimate that we protect the external border in such a way that undetected border crossings at the green border are prevented," Seehofer told the "Bild am Sonntag".

He announced that he would increase controls in the German-Polish border area.

He has already sent eight hundred police officers there to support the federal police.

“If necessary, I'll be ready to step up there.

We will closely control the border area and the green border with Poland. "

The Federal Minister of the Interior is also considering regular border controls such as those on the German-Austrian border.

"Last week we announced the extension of controls at the German-Austrian border for another six months in Brussels," said Seehofer.

"If the situation on the German-Polish border does not relax, it must be considered whether this step should be taken in coordination with Poland and the state of Brandenburg."

According to a report by the editorial network of Germany (RND), the municipal umbrella organizations are also in favor of increased border controls.

"The municipalities expect the federal government and the EU to take the necessary measures to stop the illegal influx," said the chief executive of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, Gerd Landsberg, the RND.

Landsberg spoke out in favor of "random checks at the border or in the border area" and "German-Polish cooperation in border security".

The German District Association (DLT) called for better security of the EU's external borders.

The President of the German Association of Cities, Burkhard Jung (SPD) called on the EU to increase the pressure on the government in Minsk.

Since August, thousands of migrants - mostly from the Middle East and Africa - have tried to cross the Polish border from Belarus.

The EU is assuming retaliation by the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko for sanction decisions taken in Brussels.

It is believed that the Belarusian authorities are bringing migrants into the country in a targeted manner and smuggling them to the borders with the eastern EU states.

Poland has stationed thousands of soldiers at the border because of the influx of migrants from Belarus.

The government also announced the construction of a 353 million euro fortified border facility.

tfb / AFP