Germany Increases Border Checks With 5 EU Nations

Germany has initiated random checks at its borders with five Western European nations to curb irregular migration. These checks, which began Monday, include borders with France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Denmark, and are set to run for six months. Police had already been conducting similar checks at Germany's borders with Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland since last year.

This enlargement of border controls follows extremist incidents, including a knife attack by a Syrian asylum-seeker in Solingen last month, which resulted in three fatalities, and an earlier attack by an Afghan immigrant that killed one police officer. By adding to its existing controls, Germany seeks to address growing concerns over migration and terrorism after the far right gained ground in recent state elections.

However, these border controls are controversial within the EU, challenging the spirit of the Schengen Agreement that allows free travel across member states. The EU permits temporary reintroduction of internal border controls only in response to serious threats, which must be exceptional and time-limited. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government faces criticism for what some see as a deviation from EU principles, as they gear up for another state election in Brandenburg next Sunday. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)