Austrian interior minister backs Germany's tougher border controls

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner on Friday expressed support for Germany's tougher border control measures during a meeting with German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt in Vienna.

Last week, Germany's new government ordered increased border checks with all neighbouring countries, including Austria. Dobrindt also authorized turning away asylum seekers at the border, except for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children.

Austria welcomed the stricter controls, noting a decline in illegal migration figures across Europe, including in Austria and Germany, which Karner attributed to intensified border controls.

Dobrindt stressed that these efforts align with a shared European goal to work on migration policy and further reduce illegal migration flows.

Austria's Economy Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer had also praised Germany's stricter migration policies, reflecting broader support within the Austrian government for the measures.