Austria wants to extend border controls for another 6 months

Austrian Interior Minister Karner, speaking to public broadcaster ORF, argued that there was a major increase in the number of irregular migrants last year, so border controls should continue.

Stating that there has already been a certain decrease in the number of irregular immigrants, and this is due to the checks, Karner stated that while these checks create a certain financial burden, they are unavoidable in terms of security.

Karner stated that they want the checks to continue for 6 more months at the Hungarian and Slovak borders and noted that they are in favor of the checks until the EU’s external borders are protected to the desired level.

Since September 2022, Austria has been carrying out checks against irregular immigration at the borders of neighboring countries.

The Vienna administration claimed that the Schengen area was not fully functioning due to the increase in the number of irregular immigrants last year and banned Bulgaria and Romania from entering the Schengen area. (AA)