BERLIN, July 22. — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the border controls currently in place between Germany and its neighboring countries are a temporary measure, introduced due to the absence of a unified European approach to managing migration and border security.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in Berlin, Merz emphasized the importance of a collective solution:
“We are striving for a European solution,” he said. “But until we are able to better protect the EU’s external borders, we are forced to implement checks at internal European borders.”
On May 7, Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt reversed a 2015 directive that had allowed asylum seekers to enter the country even after applying for asylum elsewhere in the EU. Under the new policy, such individuals are now turned away at Germany’s borders.
Dobrindt also announced an expansion of the federal police force assigned to conduct border inspections.
The tightened controls have led to long traffic jams at Germany’s borders with Poland and the Czech Republic, raising concerns among commuters and transport companies.
