Middle East? “Suspension of the Schengen Treaty has become necessary”

“A suspension of the Schengen Treaty on free movement in Europe became necessary due to the worsening situation in the Middle East, the increase in migratory flows along the Balkan route and, above all, due to national security issues”, highlighted Meloni, in statements to journalists.

“I take full responsibility for this,” he added, quoted by the ANSA agency.

The Italian Interior Minister had announced today that Italy had decided to temporarily activate controls on its border with Slovenia due to recent events in Europe and the Middle East, with the decision coming into force on October 21st and lasting ten days.

The decision was announced by the Italian minister to his Slovenian counterpart, Bostjan Poklukar, cited by the Slovenian news agency STA.

The aim of the measure is “to prevent terrorism and organized crime”, the Slovenian Ministry of the Interior said in a statement, STA said.

Poklukar stressed the need for the change to be “temporary and proportionate” to ensure that the “cultural, friendship and family ties of people living along the border” are not disturbed.

Although the reintroduction of border controls in the Schengen area is only permitted in exceptional circumstances – as was, for example, during the Covid-19 pandemic – and has to be notified to Brussels before being adopted, several countries have announced similar measures .

A week ago, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria decided to maintain, until at least November 2nd, border controls with Slovakia, in order to combat irregular migration.

The three countries had introduced the measure on October 4, initially for 10 days, but decided to extend it.

Slovakia has recently been the target of an increase in the number of migrants, largely coming from Serbia, through Hungary, and heading to richer countries in Western Europe.

Between January and August this year, 24,500 people entered the country illegally, that is, more than double the 10,900 people registered throughout last year.

In reaction to the measures taken by its neighbors, Bratislava also decided to adopt controls on the border with Hungary from October 5th, which was extended until November 3rd.

Germany, where many migrants are heading, also reinforced controls on its eastern border, with the Czech Republic and Poland, at the end of September.

All of these countries are members of the European Union and the Schengen area, where passports and border controls are officially abolished.

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