The many unauthorized entries on the migration route via Belarus are fueling a debate about controls at the border with Poland. Seehofer tries another suggestion
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer wants to curb the many unauthorized entries into Germany via the Belarus route with reinforced German-Polish patrols.
The CSU politician wrote to his colleague Mariusz Kaminski in Warsaw that these should take place primarily on Polish territory and would be below the threshold of border controls. The dpa has received the letter. Many federal states are now increasing their asylum accommodation to accommodate newcomers.
5000 people found
Since the summer, around 5,000 people from Iraq, Syria and other crisis areas had been found on the eastern border who came to Germany illegally via Belarus and Poland. From the point of view of the European Union, behind this is the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. In response to EU sanctions, the latter had declared that he would no longer stop migrants destined for the EU. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) calls Lukashenko the “head of a state smuggling ring”.
The many entries also harbor conflict with Poland. Because actually the EU country should register the newcomers and allow them an asylum procedure – but this does not happen in many cases. Instead, people travel on to Germany – often with the help of smugglers. There are therefore calls to temporarily reintroduce controls at the border with Poland – an internal EU border where travel is usually free.
Seehofer’s proposal would be to avoid these border controls, but still stop the migrants on Polish territory. He wrote to Poland’s Interior Minister Kaminski: “In view of the common challenges, I think it makes sense that our two border protection authorities noticeably reinforce their tried-and-tested joint patrols along the German-Polish border – below the threshold of a temporary reintroduction of internal border controls.” These strips were to be used “primarily on Polish territory, of course under the direction of Polish border guards”.
Reactions from the parties
Union parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus (CDU) said that even if the number of migrants and refugees entering the EU via Belarus is currently lower than during the refugee crisis of 2015, he feared “that something could develop there”. At that time, “leading indicators” were not sufficiently taken into account. That should not be repeated.
The FDP internal politician Stephan Thomae told the dpa that internal European border controls should only be considered as a last resort. What is needed is pressure on Minsk and better protection of the EU’s external borders. The aim and aim should be “to fight the causes together with our European partners,” said the member of the Bundestag.
The Green migration expert Luise Amtsberg complained that the failure of the common refugee policy made the EU open to blackmail. In order to relieve Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, the asylum seekers should be distributed throughout the EU after their registration.
Preparations are in progress
Several federal states are preparing for increasing numbers of refugees – because of the new route, but also because the numbers in 2020 were unusually low due to Corona. According to official information, the state of Berlin wants to open five accommodations with a total of 1200 places within four weeks. Around 5,000 newcomers were registered there by the end of September, which is more than in the entire previous year (4,589).
Brandenburg registered 2,000 people in the initial reception in October alone, but according to the Interior Ministry it still has capacity. In Saxony there were 5539 asylum seekers by the end of September – in October there were already around 1000. Hesse and Baden-Württemberg are also seeing significantly more asylum seekers and want to increase their capacities.
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