Austrian rail officials said late on Sunday that services to and from Germany would be stopped at 5pm local time (1500 GMT). It is not known when the services would resume.
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told reporters on Sunday that Germany had temporarily introduced controls along its border with Austria in an attempt to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving in the country.
"At this moment Germany is temporarily introducing border controls again along (the EU's) internal borders. The focus will be on the border to Austria at first," he said.
"The aim of these measures is to limit the current inflows to Germany and to return to orderly procedures when people enter the country," he said, adding that this was also necessary for security reasons.
The refugees must understand that "they cannot choose the states where they are seeking protection," he told reporters.
Al Jazeera's Rob Reynolds, reporting from Berlin, said Germany's decision "underscores the chaotic situation" in Europe, as it tries to handle the situation.
Earlier on Sunday, Germany warned that it was stretched to capacity to accommodate refugees streaming in through Hungary and Austria, with southern city of Munich struggling to cope with the new arrivals.
More than 13,000 asylum seekers arrived in Munich on Saturday, adding up to about 450,000 others who have already made it to the country this year.
"Given the numbers from yesterday, it is very clear that we have reached the upper limit of our capacity," said a Munich police spokesman.
Alexander Dobrindt, Germany's federal transport minister, said "effective measures" were necessary to stop the influx.
"That includes help for countries from where refugees are fleeing and also includes an effective control of our own borders which also no longer works given the EU's complete failure to protect its external borders," Dobrindt said in a statement.
The International Organization for Migration said on Friday that more than 430,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe this year, with more than 2,700 dying en route or going missing.
'Ready to help'
Four European mayors called on Europe's governments, in a joint column published on Sunday, to do more to help the refugees.
"European cities are ready to become places of refuge. States grant the status of asylum but it is cities that provide shelter," said Paris' Anne Hidalgo, Barcelona's Ada Colau, and the mayors of the Greek and Italian islands of Lesbos and Lampedusa - key entry points for refugees entering Europe - in the appeal published in Spanish daily El Pais.
"Our municipal services are already working on hosting plans to ensure bread, shelter and dignity to all who flee war and hunger. All that is needed is the help of states."...............http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/germany-stretched-capacity-refugee-surge-150913110111973.html
13/9/15
--
-
Related:
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
No comments:
Post a Comment
Only News