Germany “will temporarily carry out checks at all its borders during Euro 2024 football (from June 14 to July 14), in order to prevent the entry of potential violent criminals”, indicated the Minister of the Interior , in an interview Tuesday.
“It is necessary to protect this major international event as best as possible,” explained Nancy Faeser in an interview with the daily newspaper Rheinische Postfour days after the attack in a concert hall near Moscow, claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State.
Particularly in the sights of the German authorities, according to Mme Faeser: protection against Islamists and all kinds of extremists, hooligans and other violent criminals, as well as the security of networks that could be victims of cyberattacks.
“We are paying particular attention to these current threats,” underlined the Minister of the Interior.
To curb immigration, Germany is already carrying out reinforced controls on its border with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, after having established fixed controls on its border with Austria.
With Euro 2024, the opening match of which is scheduled for June 14 in Munich and the final on July 14 in Berlin, it is therefore also a question of carrying out border controls with France, Luxembourg, Belgium , the Netherlands and Denmark.
During a visit to Prague on February 14, Nancy Faeser had already indicated that this would “very probably” be the case.
Questioned on Tuesday by AFP, the German Interior Ministry specified that all the details concerning the strengthening of border controls were being defined, in particular the duration of the reestablishment of these controls.
All countries bordering Germany are members of the Schengen area (where people move freely without being checked at internal borders) and they are all, except Switzerland, members of the EU.
A State may reinstate controls in the event of a breach of public order or national security, after consultation with other Schengen Group States or notification to Brussels (in the case of EU members).
Security will be “the highest priority” during Euro 2024, assured Tuesday the boss of the organization of the tournament, the former captain of the German selection Philipp Lahm, in an interview with AFP.
London prevents the movement of 1,600 “violent” supporters
Furthermore, “more than 1,600” English and Welsh supporters, targeted by a stadium ban, will be deprived of travel to Germany during Euro 2024 football, the British government announced on Tuesday, a usual measure during major tournaments.
London has been using these travel bans against “violent and disruptive supporters”, in its words, for several years, as was the case in preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“From Thursday June 4, more than 1,600 people in England and Wales subject to a football stadium ban will have to hand over their British passports to the police until the end of the tournament,” said namely Tuesday the Ministry of the Interior.
People who do not respond to this request or who attempt to “travel to Germany or neighboring countries” during the Euro risk a “heavy fine” and up to six months of imprisonment, recalls the Home Office .