eKathimerini — Despite the public acrimony over the “humiliating” treatment reserved for travelers from Greece at German airports, the government has sought to downplay the issue and denied on Tuesday that its decision to tighten checks on German travelers landing at Greek airports was a tit-for-tat response.
Athens took the decision for tighter checks after a 35-year-old Islamist terrorist suspect had managed to board a flight from Germany to Greece on October 11 and then vanish without a trace.
The issue of exceptionally stringent passport checks for Greek passengers in German airports will be discussed on Wednesday at a meeting between experts from the European Commission, Greece and Germany, European Commission spokesperson for Migration Policy Natasha Bertaud said on Tuesday. According to the Schengen agreement however, the reintroduction of border control is a prerogative of the Member States. The Commission may issue an opinion with regard to the necessity of the measure and its proportionality but cannot veto such a decision if it is taken by a Member State.
Bertaud noted that Germany is one of the countries that have temporarily restored internal border controls, with Germany specifically targeting flights from Greece, in order to address the risk of undocumented migration.
Notifications of the Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control
France (1 November 2017 – 30 April 2018)persistent terrorist threat; all internal borders
Austria (12 November 2017 – 12 May 2018)security situation in Europe and threats resulting from the continuous significant secondary movements; land borders with Hungary and with Slovenia;
Germany (12 November 2017 – 12 May 2018)security situation in Europe and threats resulting from the continuous significant secondary movements; land border with Austria and flight connections from Greece;
Denmark (12 November 2017 – 12 May 2018)security situation in Europe and threats resulting from the continuous significant secondary movements; internal border with Germany;
Sweden (12 November 2017 – 12 May 2018) security situation in Europe and threats resulting from the continuous significant secondary movements; selected harbours in Police Regions South and West and at the Öresund Bridge;
Norway (12 November 2017 – 12 May 2018) security situation in Europe and threats resulting from the continuous significant secondary movements; ferry connections with DK, DE and SE;
Germany has cited security concerns for the measures which took effect on November 12 and a source in the German Interior Ministry told Kathimerini that they were justified because a random sample of checks from airports around the country showed that 1,000 people had arrived illegally from Greece – a marked difference compared to illegals coming from other countries.
“The Commission takes note of the assurances made by Germany that these measures are targeted and limited to what is strictly necessary to safeguard public policy and internal security, while the impact on freedom of movement will be small,” Bertaud said.
The Council of the European Union on Monday ratified the new regulation amending the Schengen border code, so that information on the entry, exit and refusal of entry for third-country nationals is entered into the system.
According to the Schengen Agreement, citizens of signatory countries can move freely between those states without border checks.
