The police found this sight in the truck during the inspection Photo: Federal Police
By Michael Sauerbier
That could have been fatal! On Friday, customs officials discovered 18 refugees near the Polish border in an airtight small truck. Brandenburg’s Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) calls for stronger border controls.
The 16 adults and two children (5, 10) from Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan were half starved and thirsty locked in the hold. They were cared for and taken to the Eisenhüttenstadt initial reception. The Lithuanian driver (32) was taken into custody.
The Interior Minister spoke of a new Balkan route. Stübgen: “This time, asylum tourism will come via Belgrade, not via Minsk. These refugees come almost exclusively to Germany.” Therefore, border controls are not only necessary with Austria, but also with the Czech Republic and Poland.
Brandenburg’s Interior Minister Michael Stübgen from the CDU (archive photo) Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Brandenburg has taken in 40,000 refugees since the beginning of the year. Most (25,000) fled Russia’s war against Ukraine.