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| Sweden Defends Reintroducing Border Controls Amid Refugee Crisis | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| VALLETTA, Malta — Sweden on Thursday defended its decision to reintroduce border controls as European Union leaders signed an aid agreement with African nations intended to stem the influx of migrants. | VALLETTA, Malta — Sweden on Thursday defended its decision to reintroduce border controls as European Union leaders signed an aid agreement with African nations intended to stem the influx of migrants. |
| Prime Minister Stefan Lofven framed the issue as a temporary measure by Sweden to maintain order, but it represents the latest blow to a flagship European Union policy of allowing the free movement of people across the bloc’s internal borders. | |
| The policy applies in the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel through most of Europe, and has come under severe strain as the Continent contends with its most serious migration crisis since World War II. | |
| Speaking at a summit meeting on African migration here in the Maltese capital, Mr. Lofven said the Swedish authorities had concluded that the large number of migrants meant his country could no longer guarantee the security and control of its borders. | Speaking at a summit meeting on African migration here in the Maltese capital, Mr. Lofven said the Swedish authorities had concluded that the large number of migrants meant his country could no longer guarantee the security and control of its borders. |
| “This is not a fence,” Mr. Lofven told reporters at the summit meeting. “We need to make sure that we have control.” | “This is not a fence,” Mr. Lofven told reporters at the summit meeting. “We need to make sure that we have control.” |
| Mr. Lofven said that Sweden had accepted more refugees on a per-capita basis than any other European country, and he added that the border controls were in conformity with European Union rules. | |
| The move was not necessarily a sign that the open-border system in Europe had permanently broken down, he said, but, “we need another system — that is obvious.” | The move was not necessarily a sign that the open-border system in Europe had permanently broken down, he said, but, “we need another system — that is obvious.” |
| Mr. Lofven’s comments came shortly before the European Union leaders including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany lined up to put their signatures to an Emergency Trust Fund worth about 1.8 billion euros, or roughly $1.93 billion, which is aimed at addressing the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa. | Mr. Lofven’s comments came shortly before the European Union leaders including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany lined up to put their signatures to an Emergency Trust Fund worth about 1.8 billion euros, or roughly $1.93 billion, which is aimed at addressing the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa. |
| There is skepticism that the plan can meet the goal of reducing the numbers of refugees heading for Germany, Scandinavia and other destinations because it does not directly address the huge numbers of migrants coming from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. | |
| Many are coming through Turkey and the western Balkans rather than across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa. | Many are coming through Turkey and the western Balkans rather than across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa. |
| “External borders of the European Union are not yet at all under control so probably, temporarily, for some countries, it is unavoidable,” President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania told reporters at the summit meeting, referring to decisions to re-erect border controls, including the move by Sweden. | “External borders of the European Union are not yet at all under control so probably, temporarily, for some countries, it is unavoidable,” President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania told reporters at the summit meeting, referring to decisions to re-erect border controls, including the move by Sweden. |
| Ms. Grybauskaite said the Swedish decision would be discussed on Thursday afternoon when most of the European Union’s 28 leaders gather for an additional summit meeting, where the main topic of discussion is expected to be reaching an accord with Turkey aimed at stemming migration across its border with Europe. | Ms. Grybauskaite said the Swedish decision would be discussed on Thursday afternoon when most of the European Union’s 28 leaders gather for an additional summit meeting, where the main topic of discussion is expected to be reaching an accord with Turkey aimed at stemming migration across its border with Europe. |