STORY: Germany's tightening of border controls raises concern of domino effect
SHOOTING TIME: Sept. 15, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:07
LOCATION: Berlin
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): CHU YI, Xinhua correspondent
2. various of Germany and neighboring countries
3. SOUNDBITE (Polish): Polish driver

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): CHU YI, Xinhua correspondent
"I'm now standing on the border area connecting Germany's Kehl and France's Strasbourg. Since September 16, Germany has intensified border control measures with countries including France, Belgium, and some other bordering countries, which may influence the free movement of the European Union as well as the Schengen area."

Starting Monday, Germany has extended temporary border controls to all land borders for an initial period of six months.

The move dealt a significant blow to the free movement across internal borders, a key feature of the Schengen Agreement.

Germany announced the decision to tighten border checks on Sept. 9, citing heightened security concerns.

A recent string of deadly attacks has fueled public debate about immigration and security.

Moreover, Germany's hard line on borders came as a result of EU's failure to devise a cohesive, efficient response to the ongoing refugee crisis.

Official data showed Germany's tighter restrictions are estimated to affect some 240,000 cross-border commuters.

SOUNDBITE (Polish): Polish driver
"I live in France. I'm just trying to see if I can drive back and to see how long it will take me to wait at the border. I have a long way to go, because I need 15 hours on the way, plus five hours waiting here, and probably another five hours at the German-French border."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Berlin.
(XHTV)