Germany to extend border controls with Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland

[December 04, 2023]  BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany plans to extend its border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland to stem a migration surge and combat people-smuggling until Dec. 15, a spokesperson for the interior ministry said on Monday.

Police patrol at a highway near the German-Polish border to prevent illegal migration near Bademeusel, Germany September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

Berlin will notify the European Commission of the extension, the spokesperson told a regular news conference in Berlin.

The ministry believes stationary police measures at the Polish border should continue in particular, he said, adding that those measures had led to the prevention of around 1,100 unauthorised entries since they came into force on Oct. 16.

Germany announced the stricter controls on its land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in response to a sharp increase of first-time asylum requests this year.

(Reporting by Rachel More; editing by Matthias Williams)

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