Germany is reinstating temporary border controls with immediate effect, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Sunday, as the country buckles under pressure from a record influx of refugees.
"The aim of this measure is to stop the current influx to Germany and to return to an orderly process," he said, as the city of Munich recorded an influx of 63,000 asylum seekers in two weeks.
"It is also urgently needed due to security reasons," the minister added.
Additionally, Berlin will no longer allow refugees to pick which European countries should host them, de Maiziere said Sunday, essentially reversing a measure that has sent record numbers of asylum seekers into Europe's top economy.
The asylum seekers must understand that "they cannot chose the states where they are seeking protection," he told reporters.
"Under current European rules, Germany is not the authority responsible for most of the asylum seekers, and the registration process stands for all member states in the future. That means that a member state should not only register but also carry out the asylum process," he added.
Under EU rules, the first country of entry is required to deal with the asylum seeker's request for protection. But Germany had earlier in practice waived the rule for Syrian refugees.
Germany is reinstating temporary border controls with immediate effect, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Sunday, as the country buckles under pressure from a record influx of refugees.
“The aim of this measure is to stop the current influx to Germany and to return to an orderly process,” he said, as the city of Munich recorded an influx of 63,000 asylum seekers in two weeks.
“It is also urgently needed due to security reasons,” the minister added.
Additionally, Berlin will no longer allow refugees to pick which European countries should host them, de Maiziere said Sunday, essentially reversing a measure that has sent record numbers of asylum seekers into Europe’s top economy.
The asylum seekers must understand that “they cannot chose the states where they are seeking protection,” he told reporters.
“Under current European rules, Germany is not the authority responsible for most of the asylum seekers, and the registration process stands for all member states in the future. That means that a member state should not only register but also carry out the asylum process,” he added.
Under EU rules, the first country of entry is required to deal with the asylum seeker’s request for protection. But Germany had earlier in practice waived the rule for Syrian refugees.
