Austria Extends Border Control with Czech

Austria has announced the extension of its border controls with the Czech Republic until April 16, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat smuggling mafias and extremist threats.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry, in a press release on Saturday, stated that border controls, reinstated on October 18 last year, have been extended once again to tighten the noose around smuggling networks.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner emphasized that border surveillance is one of several measures aimed at fighting smuggling mafias.

Moreover, given the current international security situation, border controls are also deemed essential in taking decisive actions against extremists.

Karner highlighted that, in recent months, similar border controls have been implemented by the Czech Republic with Slovakia, Slovakia with Hungary, Germany with Austria and Poland, and Slovenia with Croatia.

These measures are crucial for battling smuggling mafias, allowing for the inspection of individuals at the borders, and are a strategy in the fight against terrorism, which is also financed by smuggling networks.

Currently, eleven of the twenty-seven Schengen Area member states, including France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria, and Poland, are conducting border checks.

Last year, these efforts led to the arrest of 725 smugglers, showcasing the significant impact of such border control measures in addressing security concerns and combating illegal activities.