Not dead, but free travel in Europe in doubt amid ID checks

The prime minister added that “you will see more and more countries forced to introduce temporary border controls” due to the European Union being unable to protect its outer borders.

The rules, enforcing an identity check for travellers between the two nations for the first time in half a century, meant rail passengers had to exit their trains and show photo identification at checkpoints in Copenhagen before reboarding to cross the bridge.

Since vehicles travelling across the bridge are so far excluded from systematic checks, refugees could still be driven in private cars or smuggled in the cargo hold of trucks, he said.

The Danish prime minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, had used his New Year’s Day address to warn that his government might impose controls at its border with Germany.

The new measures come after Sweden – which has taken in more asylum seekers per capita than any other European Union nation – said it could no longer cope with the unregulated flow of new arrivals.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Six countries in Europe’s document-free travel area now have wide-ranging border checks in place following Denmark’s decision on Monday to tighten controls on its southern border with Germany.

Within hours of the Swedish measure taking effect, the Danish government announced it was stepping up controls of its border with Germany, to make sure that migrants headed for Sweden don’t get stuck in Denmark.

The country’s coastguard has recently stepped up detection efforts, especially on the Oresund Bridge which connects Copenhagen to Sweden’s third-largest city, Malmo.

“I paid 230 euros for these tickets”.

A temporary fence is erected between tracks at the train station to prevent illegal migrants entering Sweden, at Copenhagen International Airport in Kastrup on December 23, 2015.

Returning home from a visit to Germany, Abebe said he had not been allowed through by security guards when he showed his Norwegian residence permit.

“They said this is not a passport”.

“As soon as it starts to bite economically, people are going to start to ask: ‘Is this the right solution to the problem?”‘ Rhinard said.

AP/Adam IhseThousands of people attend a “Refugee Welcome” demonstration at the Gotaplatsen square in Gothenburg, Sweden, Wednesday Sept. 9, 2015.

“I accept it because I know what happened to my country when we accepted too many people without checking them”, said Milan Samaan, 34, who fled Syria for Sweden three years ago, claiming that the three million refugees who fled from Iraq had pushed up apartment rental costs eight-fold, helping foment the unrest that pushed the country to civil war.

Denmark said its controls would last for 10 days but could be extended.

The Danish side suggested that the Swedes should pay 1 million kroner ($145,000) for the ID checks, carried out by train operators in Denmark.

A mother warms the hands of her little child in a tent at the central registration center for refugees and asylum seekers LaGeSo (Landesamt fuer Gesundheit und Soziales – State Office for Health and Social Affairs) LaGeSo during freezing temperatures in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016.

The move by Sweden is an attempt to stop the flow of undocumented migrants into the country known for its generous welfare system.

“People are calling it the new iron curtain”, Michael Randropp, a spokesman for the local Kystbanen commuters’ association, told the Telegraph.