By Michael Sauerbier
Because of the increasing number of refugees, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (53, SPD) now wants to create stationary controls at the Poland border. In Brandenburg, the SPD and CDU are celebrating. But the police union warns: This doesn’t help against the flow of refugees.
There have been fixed border controls between Bavaria and Austria for years – approved by the EU. But Minister Faeser has so far rejected this at the border with Poland and the Czech Republic. Reason: The situation is not bad enough for that – despite 87 percent more asylum applications.
Now Faeser finally agreed to undergo inpatient checks. She told “Welt am Sonntag”: “From my point of view, this is an opportunity to combat smuggling crime more aggressively.” A spokesman for Faeser confirmed to the DPA: “Corresponding additional border police measures are currently being examined.”
There is great joy about Faeser’s about-face in Brandenburg. The number of illegal entries rose from 22 in July to 57 in September – per day! Cities and rural districts no longer know where to accommodate, care for and educate the refugees. Mayors and district administrators from all parties are protesting.
“The establishment of stationary border controls is therefore more urgent than ever,” said Potsdam’s Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (63, CDU), “now what counts is action to put a stop to the unscrupulous smuggling gangs.” Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (61, SPD): “I I’m glad that the Federal Minister of the Interior wants to make this happen now. I believe it is urgently needed.”
Police union boss Anita Kirsten warns: “Border controls do not reduce the number of refugees” Photo: dpa/Annette Riedl
But the celebration seems premature. “The number of people seeking protection at the Austrian border has not decreased even with stationary controls,” warn the heads of the federal and state police unions (GdP). “Anyone who says ‘asylum’ cannot be rejected,” said Brandenburg’s GdP leader Anita Kirsten, “they must continue to be taken to the initial reception.”
Stübgen, Woidke and Faeser know this. They rely on deterrence if more smugglers are soon caught through the controls. But GdP leader Kirsten warns: “Anyone who believes that the arrest of individual drivers has made a big difference against people smugglers is wrongly thinking they are safe.” The backers are elsewhere. The police also lack personnel for the long eastern border.
According to the police union, only pressure from the federal government on airlines, airports and travel agencies that fly refugees from Asia and Africa to Moscow and Minsk would really help. From there, the migrants are brought to the Polish border fence on Putin’s orders – in order to destabilize Western European countries. So far, the perfidious plan is working, as the poll numbers from the Moscow-friendly AfD prove.