http://www.thelocal.it/20160414/well-close-brenner-pass-unless-italy-stops-refugee-flow-austria
'Italy must stop refugee flow or we’ll shut Brenner pass'
Published: 14 Apr 2016
Austria has threatened to completely close the Brenner pass, one of the main links across the Alps, unless Italy stops the flow of refugees to its northern neighbour.
The country’s Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil said the “extreme” measure would be implemented if Italy fails to stop refugees crossing the border or doesn’t accept those who are sent back.
Speaking at a meeting of his SPÖ party in Innsbruck on Wednesday night, Doskozil said the Tyrol area of Austria has become a “refugee waiting room”.
Austria is adopting an increasingly hardline approach to the refugee crisis, deporting 2,800 failed asylum seekers since the start of the year.
Austrian police said construction work began on Tuesday on concrete foundations for a planned control area off the northbound motorway at the Brenner pass, which was an active transit point last summer for migrants making their way up from southern Italy.
Meanwhile, Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner said that while her government will do everything possible to avoid drastic solutions, “Italy must do more to process migrants”.
Austria, which received 90,000 asylum claims last year, has already stepped up controls along its borders with Slovenia and Hungary.
The planned fence at the Italian border came under attack by the EU after Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano wrote a joint letter to EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos demanding that he urgently raise the issue with Vienna.
European Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said on Tuesday that Avramopoulos would discuss the construction work with Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner.
"If these plans should materialize then we will have to look at them very seriously. The Brenner pass is essential for freedom of movement within the European Union," she told a press conference. "The Commission is very concerned."
The Italian ministers said the Austrian actions "did not appear to be based on the facts", adding that Mikl-Leitner had "presented no data showing an alleged increase in the migrant flow from Italy".
Austria, which has said it will implement additional control measures at its borders from June 1st, is also concerned that following the closure earlier this year of the Balkan trail from Greece towards Austria, a new route across the sea from Libya to Italy and then northwards will open up.
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http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/04/14/preparing-refugee-onslaught-switzerland-ready-post-tanks-border-italy/
Preparing for ‘Migrant Onslaught,’ Switzerland Ready to Post Tanks at Border with Italy
by THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.14 Apr 2016
Switzerland has announced it is considering stationing a tank battalion at its southern border with Italy, after news that Austria is ready to completely shut down the Brenner Pass between Italy and Austria.
In a matter of just hours, Europe’s migrant crisis has escalated following the unexpected announcement Wednesday night by Austria’s Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil that his country is prepared to close its border if Italy does not get its migrant problem under control.
After Italy sharply criticized the Austrian plan, Switzerland has declared it is considering posting tanks to secure its own border with Italy. “We expect a significant increase in the number of refugees this summer. If Austria now closes off the Brenner Pass, Switzerland will become the only gateway to Northern Europe. Before that, we have to protect ourselves,” said Norman Gobbi, the security director of the Swiss Canton of Ticino.
The region has some 2,000 soldiers of the Swiss Tank Battalion at the ready, and they have been asked to postpone vacations in order to be available as needs may arise. As other migrant routes become more restricted or close altogether, Italy is becoming increasingly the path of choice for migrants coming both from the south and from the east. Heading north through Italy, if Austria no longer becomes an option, “many will then travel to Switzerland,” Gobbi said.
According to Gobbi, in the past week 169 refugees have crossed the border between Italy and Switzerland illegally. “The refugees mainly take routes outside of the official border crossings. We must prepare ourselves for a possible migrant onslaught,” said the security director.
During the first part of this year Italy has taken in 50 percent more refugees than during the same period in 2015, and the Italian government is forecasting the total number of migrants this year to be double that of last year. “This will not be without consequences for Switzerland,” said Gobbi.
“We have to go on the offensive,” said Austria’s Defense Minister Wednesday night, referring to tightened border controls.
By all accounts, Switzerland agrees
Received on Thu Apr 14 2016 - 12:57:09 EDT