Chancellor Karl Nehammer is considering having the borders with Italy checked due to the current refugee flows. For this he received harsh criticism from Rome. The Italian Deputy Prime Minister even speaks of a “slap in the face”.
Right-wing extremist Matteo Salvini criticizes the government for Vienna’s plans to introduce extraordinary controls at the borders with Schengen partner Italy. “The decision of the Austrian government to tighten controls on vehicles from Italy is a slap in the face of the European solidarity that was invoked yesterday in Lampedusa,” Salvini wrote in a press release on Monday.
The League leader described Nehammer’s announcement as a serious insult to Italian police forces and volunteers who have been committed to defending Europe’s borders for years. “These controls carry the risk that the traffic situation on the Brenner Pass will become even worse and will be hampered by unlawful and discriminatory bans,” Salvini criticized.
“If Vienna wants to act as a champion of European legality in the field of migration, it must send resources and personnel to the Mediterranean to help. It is too easy to build fortresses in the Alps and punish workers such as truck drivers and tourists, while Italy fights smugglers,” Salvini said.
Nehammer is considering border controls
Chancellor Nehammer promised extraordinary controls at the borders with Schengen partner Italy this weekend due to the situation in Lampedusa.
Tyrolean State Police Director Helmut Tomac explained the current situation to the “Tiroler Tageszeitung”: “We always look at the situation very closely. Especially considering the situation in Lampedusa. However, we note that the current route does not cross the Brenner Pass.” The fears of people who have entered the country illegally in Tyrol have increased marginally, but not noticeably.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
