The summit aims to produce a declaration with specific proposals, such as enhancing border protection and deporting rejected asylum-seekers to non-EU countries, to be advanced collectively at the European level, according to the interior ministry.
Germany, traditionally one of the more migration-friendly EU countries, is shifting under the current government led by Merz. In response to pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the largest opposition party in the parliament, the government has pledged to significantly reduce the number of asylum-seekers.
Following his appointment this spring, Merz’s interior minister increased border checks and committed to turning away undocumented immigrants, including asylum-seekers, a decision many experts believe contravenes EU law.
This border policy has strained relations with neighboring countries, with leaders from France, Poland, and Austria criticizing Merz’s administration for restricting the free movement of people and goods in the Schengen Area.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently expressed growing frustration with Germany and announced new border checks with Germany and Lithuania.
Dobrindt and Merz justified these national border measures as temporary, asserting they aim to pursue EU-level migration reforms.
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