India
Official data reveals a significant surge in first-time asylum requests in Germany, with a staggering 78% increase during the first seven months of 2023. Furthermore, in August, the number of registered illegal border crossings into Germany reached 14,701, marking a 66% surge compared to the same month last year, according to police data.
Faeser, addressing reporters in Berlin, expressed her concerns, stating, “If we do not succeed in better protecting the external borders…, then the open borders within the EU are in danger.”
The primary focus of the new border control measures will be to combat human traffickers, whom Faeser attributed to facilitating the entry of a quarter of migrants into Germany. She elaborated on the strategy, saying, “We want to prevent evasive movements of smugglers through flexible and mobile controls at changing locations.” These measures will be executed in collaboration with Poland and the Czech Republic.
Migration is currently a prominent issue in Germany, particularly in light of upcoming state elections in which far-right parties aim to bolster their influence, starting with polls in Bavaria and Hesse on October 8. Local municipalities have called for increased funding to manage the influx of arrivals, citing stretched accommodations and services reminiscent of the 2015 refugee crisis when Germany welcomed over 1 million refugees fleeing conflicts in the Middle East.
In addition to the surge in illegal border crossings and asylum requests, Germany has also provided refuge to approximately 1 million Ukrainian refugees over the past year. Notably, these individuals are not included in the asylum request figures since asylum is automatically granted if requested.
Amidst the state elections, Markus Soeder, the conservative premier of Bavaria, proposed an upper limit of 200,000 asylum seekers annually. However, Faeser rejected this proposal.
While Faeser did not provide specific details on the border control measures, she underscored the need to withhold such information to prevent it from benefiting criminal networks. Previously, there have been random police checks on borders, and since 2015, Germany has maintained stationary controls on the Bavarian border with Austria.
The recent surge in arrivals also coincides with thousands of migrants arriving on the Italian island of Lampedusa after travelling by boat from North Africa. Two weeks ago, Germany announced its suspension of an agreement with Italy to accept some of its arrivals, citing Italy’s non-compliance with long-contested rules mandating that asylum applications should be processed in the EU country of first arrival. Faeser subsequently rescinded this decision due to the unfolding crisis in Lampedusa.
The influx of arrivals has also strained relations with Poland, which has indicated its intention to introduce border checks. Recently, ahead of its national election, Poland initiated checks on selected vehicles crossing the Slovak border, suspecting potential illegal migrants
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