Berlin (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Germany aims to maintain the European Union’s Schengen area, which permits free movement, but that can only succeed if it’s not exploited by criminals who traffic migrants, Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on Tuesday.
Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, has maintained a very fixed and limiting stance on migration, pursuing a zero-tolerance policy on irregular migration and border protection.
How does Merz plan to preserve Schengen integrity
Today at a news conference with his counterpart from Luxembourg, German Chancellor said,
“We naturally want to preserve this Schengen area, but freedom of movement in the Schengen area will only work in the long term if it is not abused by those who promote irregular migration, in particular by smuggling migrants.”
Merz also mentioned that Germany is working closely with Poland on border controls to address the issue of illegal migration.
“There is a very close, very collegial, friendly cooperation between the heads of government, that is, between (Polish Prime Minister) Donald Tusk and me, and between interior ministers, because we want to solve a common problem together,” Merz said.
Why is Merz pushing stricter border enforcement now?
Since taking the chancellorship, Merz has stressed a migration policy that is transparent, fair, and in the German interest, and will have more limitations, more rejections, more controls, and more deportations.
The Merz government pitched hard-line policies to reject irregular migrants and asylum applicants at Germany’s borders, reducing asylum applications by ensuring migrants apply for asylum in the first country in the EU in accordance with the logic of the EU laws.
He insists that all of these will be done only as presumed lawfully under EU law. However, he tempered this with the need to follow the national interest by avoiding problems in cities and municipalities and preserving the safety of people.
Despite a court ruling declaring that some border pushbacks unlawful, Merz is undeterred and stated that the ruling may put limits on the government’s action, but it certainly won’t prevent the government from trying to limit migration. His government also intends to speedy up the asylum system’s processing, and as such, is also increasing the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and people who have been convicted of a crime.
