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New Year’s Eve escalated in Berlin and other German cities.
Chaos reigned in several German cities on New Year’s Eve. Police officers and rescue workers were attacked. Especially in Berlin. Here alone, 33 emergency services were injured. The violent attacks on emergency services triggered a debate about consequences such as a ban on firecrackers.
More than 100 suspects were arrested. The German police union has the impression that “groups of young men with a migration background are far overrepresented in these riots,” said President Rainer Wendt (66) to “Focus”. However, the 66-year-old is controversial. Again and again he causes a stir with right statements.
“We are scared”: Men harass young women during interview(00:43)
After the New Year’s Eve riots, calls for stricter border controls are loud. And this is where Switzerland comes into play. In 2022, more than 9,716 illegal migrants from Switzerland were caught by the federal police, as “Bild” writes.
The number of unreported cases is even higher. Two thirds of the refugees are never registered. For comparison: In the years 2016 and 2017 with particularly intensive migration movements, there were 7138 and 5127 people. “Switzerland must act urgently here,” said Ann-Veruschka Jurisch (50), FDP member of the Bundestag from Constance, in November to the “Südkurier”.
Police partially powerless
Along the Swiss border, Germany is only allowed to carry out border controls in one place. This is the Weil am Rhein/Basel border crossing. At all other country crossings, only “veil manhunts” may be made. Extensive identity checks do not take place. Since 2008, the border with Germany has been considered an internal border.
This means that there are no legal powers for border police measures and rejections at the border sections. That means: If an illegal entrant is discovered, he cannot be stopped automatically. If he has previously applied for asylum and is required to leave the country, the police must let him through.
In order to get the situation under control, Germany and Switzerland adopted an “Action Plan” against irregular migration in mid-December. Among other things, the joint, cross-border special searches are to be intensified. In addition, Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter (59) and German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (52) agreed to use “increased joint patrols” in rail traffic.
Migrants prefer Germany
The deputy head of the German police union, Heiko Teggatz (50), chooses clear words to “Bild”: “The action plan is a drop in the bucket!” It is also clear to police unionist Manuel Ostermann (32) that something has to change: “The pressure to migrate on Germany remains high.”
Many migrants would rather apply for asylum in Germany than in Switzerland. The reason: In our neighboring country, it is easier for refugees to work. The Schengen/Dublin Agreement stipulates that refugees who cross the border illegally must be returned to the place where they first applied for asylum.
In practice, however, rejections often prove difficult to implement. The chances are therefore high that migrants can submit an application for asylum in their desired destination country once they have entered the country. (abbot)