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Germany to continue border controls with Denmark and other European neighbours

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AFP/The Local Denmark - news@thelocal.dk
Germany to continue border controls with Denmark and other European neighbours
German police officers control a long distance bus on the German-French border in Kehl, western Germany, on September 16, 2024. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday announced that the country will extend controls along all its borders by six months past their planned expiry date in mid-March.

"Today, we have again ordered temporary controls at all German borders for six months and notified the European Commission," Scholz said ahead of February 23rd elections in which immigration is a major theme.

Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) have come under heavy pressure on the issue after a spate of recent deadly attacks blamed on migrants and asylum seekers.

Scholz said that Wednesday's announcement showed his intention to "remain resolute in the fight against irregular migration".

He said that to date, the checks had resulted in "47,000 people being turned back at the border".

He also cited figures showing asylum applications had fallen by a third last year from 2023 and that 1,900 people smugglers had been arrested.

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Germany put extended controls in place on its borders with all its neighbouring countries, including Denmark, in September. 

At the time, the German government said the measure aimed to limit irregular migration and "put a stop to criminals and identify and stop Islamists at an early stage".

The measure was put in place for an initial six months, but that has now been extended by an additional six months from March.

Roads authorities in Denmark have previously alerted motorists to delays and queuing inroads leading into Germany during peak periods such as school holidays, as a result of the intensified controls.

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