- Vogt: Border controls are not a permanent solution
Christopher Vogt, the parliamentary group leader of Schleswig-Holstein's FDP, considers temporary border controls to curb immigration to be a sensible measure. "However, they cannot be a long-term solution," Vogt told the German Press Agency. "Border controls at the Eastern European borders are also sensible to prevent, for instance, Russia and Belarus from flying in people from the Arab world and sending them towards the EU. This is a cynical game with people aimed at destabilizing Europe, which must be stopped.
"I also acknowledge that the Federal Police has presented an impressive record of its border controls," said Vogt. Therefore, these should be examined in a differentiated manner. "I do not want to return to a Europe of closed borders with long waiting times, where cross-border exchange and the labor market do not function."
The liberal views border controls within the EU critically, as they hinder the integration of border regions. "The idea of the Schengen area is to better control and protect the external borders, so that the internal borders in the EU can remain open," said Vogt. He therefore rejects the permanent controls Denmark imposes on its border with Germany. "They have been extended for years with ever-new, sometimes downright flimsy justifications. There are other, targeted methods to ensure more security in the shared border region."
The Commission has expressed its stance on the matter, advocating for the importance of maintaining the openness of internal EU borders while enhancing external control. Vogt from the FDP further clarified that he disagrees with Denmark's permanent controls on its border with Germany, suggesting alternative, more targeted methods for ensuring security.
