27 Jan. MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP) speaks out against permanent border controls

Ripa: "Unhindered cross-border cooperation in Europe must not be jeopardized. Common European solutions are needed"

After Germany has been carrying out controls at the borders with all nine neighboring countries since mid-September and France has followed suit, the CDU's proposals to introduce permanent controls at Germany's borders are now up for a vote in the German Bundestag.

Manuela Ripa, MEP of the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP), is concerned about this development. "Fear must not be allowed to jeopardize our actions and the achievements of European unification. The importance of the free movement of people, goods and services, especially for Germany and for Saarland as a border region, has been demonstrated during Corona."

Manuela Ripa regrets that the issue of border controls is increasingly becoming an election campaign topic following the terrible incident in Aschaffenburg. For her, the introduction of border controls at internal EU borders is the wrong answer. "The fears of citizens must be taken seriously. However, this must not lead to a relapse into the times before European unification. We must find solutions together in the EU," demands Manuela Ripa.

In Manuela Ripa's view, border controls at internal borders do not provide a long-term solution to the problems and are damaging in many areas."It is important that we do not leave the issue to the right. The problems associated with illegal migration have been ignored for far too long. To prevent further congestion in individual states, regions or municipalities, we need accelerated asylum procedures with humane and proper management of the EU's external borders. Ideally, migrants should be able to apply for asylum in the respective embassies of the member states in their home country. At the same time, recognized refugees need to be better integrated internally. Germany must therefore also do much more to integrate migrants into the labor market and guarantee their children's success at school. The demographic situation alone dictates this, as we are dependent on immigration on the labor market," says the ÖDP politician, who points out that other countries are more successful at integration.

"If all EU member states take joint action now, there will be no need for internal border controls and the EU can remain what it is - a border-free area!" concluded the MEP.