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WORLD NEWSMonday 14 September 2015

Germany implements temporary border checks to limit migrants

GEIR MOULSON comers. Sunday’s action, will continue to observe na- als have come by train. day his country has boost-
S. POGATCHNIK focusing on the Austrian tional and European rules De Maiziere noted that ed the police presence on
Associated Press border, came a day before on protecting refugees. Germany isn’t technical- the Austrian-Czech border
BERLIN (AP) — Germany a meeting of EU interior German officials didn’t ly responsible for most of in reaction to the German
introduced temporary bor- ministers to discuss the crisis. have further details, but in the new arrivals, pointing decision. The government
der controls Sunday to stem “The aim of this measure is principle, border checks to EU rules under which will assess the situation on
the tide of thousands of to limit the current influx to allow officials to turn back they are supposed to be a regular basis and will take
refugees streaming across Germany and to return to anyone lacking valid pa- registered and processed further security measures if
its frontier, sending a clear
message to its European Refugees and migrants arrive at the central station in Munich, southern Germany Sunday Sept. 13, 2015.
partners that it needs more (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
help with an influx that is
straining its ability to cope. orderly entry procedures,” pers to enter. in the first EU country where needed.
Germany is a preferred Interior Minister Thomas The move, de Maiziere they arrived. He urged oth- Passport-free travel in much
destination for many peo- de Maiziere told reporters. said, was also “a signal to er countries to apply those of the continent under the
ple fleeing Syria’s civil war “This is also urgently neces- Europe: Germany is facing rules, and said people so-called Schengen agree-
and other troubled na- sary for security reasons.” up to its humanitarian re- seeking protection cannot ment is considered one of
tions in the migration crisis De Maiziere added: “The sponsibility, but the burdens choose the country where the EU’s signal achieve-
that has bitterly divided great readiness to help that connected with the large they receive it. ments. The agreement al-
Europe. They have braved Germany has shown in re- number of refugees must He said Germany was re- lows countries to reintro-
dangerous sea crossings cent weeks ... must not be be distributed in solidarity introducing checks at its duce controls in excep-
in flimsy boats — another overstretched.” within Europe.” borders with an “emphasis” tional circumstances, as
34 drowned Sunday off He did not specify how Germany’s national rail- on the Austrian frontier. It Germany did for the Group
Greece — and made long long the border controls way, Deutsche Bahn, said wasn’t clear whether there of Seven summit in June.
treks across unwelcoming would remain in place or it had suspended service would be any change at The European Commission
countries in hopes of a bet- how exactly incoming mi- from Austria to Germany other borders. said the crisis “appears to
ter life. grants would be handled, for 12 hours at the orders of Czech Prime Minister Bo- be a situation covered by
More than a week ago, saying only that Germany authorities. Most new arriv- huslav Sobotka said Sun- the rules.”q
Germany and Austria
agreed to let in migrants
who had massed in Hun-
gary, saying it was a one-
time measure to ease an
emergency. The flow has
continued undiminished,
and while Germans have
remained welcoming, offi-
cials said the numbers were
straining the country’s abil-
ity to provide accommo-
dations.
Berlin has become increas-
ingly frustrated with the
reluctance of many other
countries in the 28-nation
European Union — espe-
cially those in the former
Eastern bloc — to share the
burden of hosting the new-