German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made an impassioned plea for keeping Europe’s internal Schengen—zone borders open, despite the migrant crisis.
The warning of destruction, which has followed several others made at times where borders have had to be closed in order to manage the migrant crisis came as Europe braced for a “new wave of refugees”, reports Die Presse.
Following the so-called closure of the Balkan route — which nevertheless still sees thousands of migrants making their way to Hungary’s borders every week — focus has moved to Italy, as migrant boats sail from North Africa. The improving summer weather and sea-state conditions is exacerbating this trend, and has seen the key strategic Brenner Pass subjected to strict controls, and civil unrest.
Mrs. Merkel said: “If now all come from Libya through Italy, to say we could simply close the [Brenner Pass] simply will not do. Then Europe is destroyed”.
The apocalyptic warning came as Mrs. Merkel gave her suggestions on how to save the continental European Union power-bloc. First on the list was an appeal for the people to have patience. Admitting the migrant crisis had already lasted longer “than initially thought”, the German leader called on all to show “reasonable solidarity” with migrants, and with nations affected by the crisis.
Mrs. Merkel also said “If we succeed in protecting our external borders , then we can preserve our freedom to travel and move within the Schengen area”.
This second suggestion may surprise some, given how it stands apparently at odds with German and European Union policy direction, and has been a key policy of Merkel arch-nemesis Viktor Orban throughout the migrant crisis.
While Europe has left Greece, one of the least stable nations in the EU to act as gate guardian for hundreds of thousands of migrants and has busily negotiated to give Turkey’s 75 million citizens visa-free access, Mr. Orban has campaigned and worked to close Europe’s external borders.
Breitbart London reported on Mr. Orban’s visit to former German chancellor Helmut Kohl in April, when in a private meeting between the two leaders it is believed they discussed the importance of closing Europe’s external borders to prevent economic and political cohesion within the bloc.
The European Union has reacted strongly against nations who have attempted to protect the continent from the migrant crisis, a policy which Mrs. Merkel now claims to support. Mr. Orban’s Hungary fended off brickbats from the community over the fence they erected to prevent migrants moving north into Central Europe.
The fence was so effective it reduced illegal migrant incursions from tens of thousands daily to just a few dozen.
Non-EU member Macedonia has also played a significant role in closing the Balkan route off from migrants, stopping tens of thousands at their borders as they moved north from Greece. Explaining why he decided to act unilaterally to defend Europe from migrants, president Gjorge Ivanov said: “If we had to rely on Brussels, which has failed to act, we would have long ago been been flooded with Jihadists”.
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