The Netherlands has stepped up checks at its borders with Germany and Belgium to stem illegal immigration into the country, Asylum and Migration Minister Marjolein Faber said on Monday.
Speaking at the southern border crossing with Belgium in Eijsden, Faber, a member of the far-right Freedom Party (PVV), which is part of the right-wing government that took office in July, said the government wanted to reduce the “influx” of illegal migrants.
For the next six months, there will be random checks and mobile controls of vehicles and travelers on international trains. However, general restrictions on cross-border traffic are not expected.
The border police confirmed the start of these “temporary border controls at internal borders (with Schengen countries)”, “commissioned” by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
These measures are based on Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code, which allows member countries to implement temporary border controls in case of a “serious threat to public order or national security.”
Only 50 officers for 840 border crossings
However, the border police also said they did not have the capacity for permanent checkpoints, as is the case in Germany, for example. The Netherlands has about 840 border crossings, and 50 officers have been assigned to carry out the checks.
Where and when the checks will take place will not be announced in advance. Police say officers on motorcycles will stop and check vehicles based on a risk analysis using camera footage and the origin of the vehicles.
Faber rejected criticism of the plan’s effectiveness. “I don’t see it as symbolic politics at all,” she said, adding that the border police now have a mandate to work more efficiently.
Meanwhile, almost 50 municipalities in the border area have protested against the extra controls and expressed concern about obstacles for cross-border travelers.
The number of people seeking asylum in the Netherlands has remained stable at around 40,000 per year.
dh/rc (dpa, EFE)
