Germany implements stricter border control in response to immigration surge

Germany's government has announced that it will implement temporary border controls at all land borders starting on September 16, aiming to address irregular migration and enhance public safety against threats such as Islamist extremism.

These measures will initially be in place for six months, the interior ministry said, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"We are bolstering internal security and maintaining our tough stance on irregular migration," stated Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.

In recent years, Germany has adopted a stricter approach to migration as the government seeks to regain control over the issue following a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Public concerns have intensified following recent fatal knife attacks involving asylum seekers, including an incident in Solingen in August where the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the deaths of three people. Earlier this month, the AfD made history by becoming the first far-right party since World War II to win a state election, in Thuringia. 

This announcement comes just two weeks before an election in Brandenburg, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Faeser's centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are striving to retain power. The introduction of temporary border controls could pose a challenge to European unity. Germany shares a land border of more than 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) with Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stated in an interview with Bild newspaper that Austria would not accept any migrants turned away by Germany at the border.

"There is no room for negotiation," he said. "It's the law. I've instructed the head of the federal police to refuse any returns." 

Last year, Germany implemented stricter controls on its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland in response to a significant rise in first-time asylum requests.