Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has promised to extend extraordinary controls at the Schengen border with Slovakia “as long as necessary”. During his new Slovak counterpart Matúš Šutaj Eštok’s first visit to Vienna on Thursday, Karner said they wanted to do this in a way that would not irritate commuters and fight human traffickers (see video above).
“The border controls have a domino effect” on other countries to introduce them as well, Šutaj Eštok said. He is therefore in favor of stopping the checks as soon as possible. However, the Slovak Interior Minister admitted that further EU measures would be needed to protect the external borders.
Slovak colleague calls asylum numbers “alarming”
Šutaj Eštok described the figures on illegal migration in Slovakia as “alarming”. Compared to the previous year, his country recorded an increase of 430 percent. Slovakia will do everything it can to no longer be a safe transit country for illegal migration, he said. “We will protect the Slovak-Austrian border.”
The two ministers signed an agreement that will facilitate the possibility of undercover investigations into cross-border crime, Karner said. He described police work to date as successful. So far this year, 19 smugglers have been arrested and 200 people have been stopped from crossing the border illegally.
Karner against Schengen expansion
According to statements by both Interior Ministers, there was no discussion about the expansion of Schengen to Bulgaria and Romania. However, Karner once again made it clear that he rejects accepting new Schengen members. Asked if a decision would be ready by December, Karner said, “I don’t think it makes sense to expand something that isn’t working.” The fact that Schengen is not working is also evident from the fact that eleven Member States currently carry out internal border controls.
Karner also called for progress on the EU Asylum and Migration Pact, especially on the key issues of external border protection, faster procedures at the external border and cooperation with third countries. In Europe, illegal migration figures are still high, with an increase of 25 percent, Karner said. Austria, on the other hand, recorded a decline of 50 percent.
Šutaj Eštok said the European Union is “failing” on Schengen. Slovakia is in favor of enlargement, but countries wishing to join must meet the necessary strict criteria.
The content of the working discussion also included the preparation of the next Visegrad meeting in Szeged on the Hungarian border with Serbia, in which Karner wants to participate. Germany has also been invited to the meeting.
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.
