Germany wants to curb immigration with temporary controls at all national borders – but according to migration researcher Gerald Knaus, this measure is not promising. It also cannot prevent terrorism. Many perpetrators have only become radicalized in Germany, he emphasizes.
“Anyone who expects that border controls will lead to a reduction in irregular migration is raising expectations that cannot be met,” the Austrian expert and co-initiator of the EU refugee agreement with Turkey told Deutschlandfunk.
Many perpetrators only became radicalised in Germany
The reason is the extension of the existing selective controls next Monday to the borders with Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. Many EU countries have had border controls for a long time as an exception to the rules of the Schengen area, which is essentially free of border controls, such as Austria and France. But: “It has not reduced the number of asylum applications at all,” Knaus explains. Border controls are also not a means of preventing Islamist terrorism, because many of the perpetrators only became radicalized in Germany.
Complete immigration ban only with the end of Schengen
According to him, this would only be possible with radical measures, such as a total end to the control-free travel and movement of goods between the EU member states of the corresponding Schengen agreement. “If the idea is really that we stop all irregular migration at the German borders: that can only be done definitively if Schengen is ended. For that you also need fences at the green border.”
Knaus also has little hope of speeding up the return of migrants who have already arrived in another EU country and registered, as the German government plans to do. “If a country like Italy says we are not taking anyone and the European Commission does not start an infringement procedure, then other countries will see that too,” he said.
Expert: EU-wide approach needed
“I fear that the whole approach to prevent irregular migration within the EU from developing further will fail. So far, it has always failed.” According to him, an EU-wide approach is needed: “We need to reduce irregular migration to the EU, we need a discussion about that.”
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.
