Vehicles heading for Germany wait in line on a bridge linking Frankfurt (Oder) in the eastern German state of Brandenburg and the western Polish city of Slubice on Sept. 10, 2024. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/Xinhua)Germany extended temporary border controls across all land frontiers for six months starting Sept. 16.
BERLIN, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) — In the first month since Germany reintroduced checks along its western borders, around 1,000 individuals were turned back, according to German media reports on Friday, citing the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
From Sept. 16 to Oct. 20, authorities recorded approximately 1,700 unauthorized entries and identified around 30 smuggling cases, the ministry reported in response to an official inquiry, as reported by the German news agency DPA.
Germany extended temporary border controls across all land frontiers for six months starting Sept. 16.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser justified the reintroduction of checks at all German land borders, citing concerns over irregular migration, protection from terrorists, and cross-border crime.
This photo shows a sunset view in the city of Frankfurt (Oder) in Germany near the Polish border, Sept. 17, 2024. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/Xinhua)
Under the decision, Germany has reinstated ID checks at borders shared with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. Similar checks were already in place at borders with Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. ■