According to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, the stricter immigration policy approach adopted by the German new alliance government has shown results.
“Asydollar applications at the border are also low, because despite the rapid entry into the application, entry into the Federal Republic of Germany is no longer guaranteed,” Dobrindt told Welt Am Sonntag in a comment posted on Saturday.
Hours after taking office on May 6, Dobrindt conducted a stricter border check, directing all asylum seekers to turn back. These measures do not apply to pregnant women, children or other vulnerable groups.
In the interview, Dubrint also talked about the “domino effect” and pointed out that neighboring countries have added the effect of checks on their own borders.
When asked about criticism from Poland and Switzerland, he told: “You should also mention those countries that support our new immigration policy.” The minister quoted France, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Austria.
“[These countries] Has seen our magnetic impact on refugees, this is [previous government’s] Migration policy. They all welcome the fact that Germany has become increasingly attractive in terms of illegal immigration. ”
Poland's embassy in Berlin has previously raised concerns about stricter border controls, warning that such measures could undermine cross-border traffic and the operation of internal EU markets.
Switzerland also stressed that Germany's upcoming Conservative-led government must comply with European laws to treat immigrants and refugees.
Dobrindt added that Germany's policy shift also helps alleviate pressure on countries across the border. “There is no problem with the German border,” Dobrindt said. The goal is not to cover Germany's neighbors, he said.
“But our neighbors must also understand that Germany is no longer ready to continue its immigration policy in recent years.”
Meanwhile, Germany's GDP police union warned that stricter border controls can only be maintained for a limited time.
The federal police managed additional workloads only by adjusting their duty hands, suspending training courses and postponing overtime leave, the league chair said.
German customs officials belonging to the Ministry of Finance have been supporting police along the borders of Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland since mid-October 2023.
