With the number of migrant arrivals dwindling, the German interior minister has set a provisional date to end border controls. But a new migrant route threatens Germany's plans to lift checks at its frontiers.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
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German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on Tuesday told Austria's ORF television that Berlin may end temporary border controls if the number of migrant arrivals stayed low.
"According to the current estimate, if the numbers remain this low, we would not continue border controls beyond May 12," de Maiziere said.
The minister said migrants entering Germany via Austria had fallen to zero, a stark contrast to last year, when thousands arrived daily. He added that in March, the average had dropped to roughly 140 per day.
Dead end
By tightening its borders, Austria played an instrumental role in closing down the so-called Balkan route, which was used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach wealthy EU nations, including Germany and Sweden, from Greece.
In 2015, more than one million migrants arrived in Germany, many fleeing war-torn countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door policy for asylum seekers has come under criticism from fellow lawmakers, including Bavarian State Premier Horst Seehofer, the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU).
1.2 million migrants have arrived in the EU since 2015, with most taking the so-called Balkan route
Italy: A new route in the making
De Maiziere's statement is a significant shift from his January announcement that Berlin would extend border controls indefinitely. But a new migration route may threaten the minister's plans to drop border controls in May.
The interior minister warned Italy that it could face transit restrictions at the Brenner crossing, a crucial gateway for goods flowing from the frontline country northwards to Austria and Germany.
"We hope that it will not have to be necessary to decide on such matters," de Maiziere said. "That is assuming that the numbers coming to Italy are not too high. That is assuming that Italy fulfils its obligations."
The long trip to Europe from the refugees' perspective
A boy who is soaking wet, volunteers entertaining children, moments of danger and of joy: #RefugeeCameras shows images taken during the journey to Europe. It is the subject of a new exhibition in Hamburg.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Leaving home - for good?
Zakaria received his camera on December 8 in Izmir, Turkey - one of the key hubs for refugees. The Syrian fled from the "Islamic State" terror militia and the government, according to McElvaney's #RefugeeCamera project. Out of safety concerns, Zakaria doesn't name his hometown. In his flight diary, Zakaria writes that only God knows if he will ever be able to return to Syria.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Rough dinghy ride
Zakaria documented his sea journey from Turkey to Chios. He was sitting in the back of his dinghy. At the Hamburg exhibition, which opens this weekend, the refugees' images will be complemented by a selection of shots taken by professionals, who helped to shape the representation of escape routes in the media. They all donated their works in order to support the project.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Perilous arrival
Hamza and Abdulmonem, both from Syria, photographed the perilous landing of their dinghy on a Greek island. There were no volunteers to offer them support. That is exactly what McElvaney had in mind when he launched #RefugeeCameras. So far, he says, the media have offered a "visual blank" in this respect.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Surviving the sea
After the landing, a young boy in wet clothes and life jacket stands on the pebbled beach. The image brings to mind Aylan Kurdi, the small Syrian boy whose lifeless body was washed ashore on a Turkish beach in September. The child in this picture made it to Europe alive. What became of him is not known.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Seven cameras returned
Hamza and Abdulmonem also took this slightly blurred snapshot of the refugee group taking a break. McElvaney handed out 15 disposable cameras in total. Seven of them were returned, one was lost, two were confiscated, two remain in Izmir, where their holders are still stranded. The remaining three cameras are unaccounted for - just like their owners.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Family in focus
Dyab, a math teacher from Syria, tried to capture some of the better moments of his journey to Germany. Pictured here are his wife and his young son, Kerim, who shows us the packet of biscuits he was given in a Macedonian refugee camp. The images reveal Dyab's deep affection for his son, McElvaney says: "He wants to take care of him, even on this arduous trip which he was forced to take."
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
From Iran to Hanau
The story of Saeed, from Iran, is a different one. The young man had to leave the country after converting to Christianity. He could have been arrested or even killed. In order to be accepted as a refugee, he pretended to be Afghan. After his arrival in Germany, he explained his situation to the authorities' satisfaction. He now lives - as an Iranian - in Hanau, Hesse.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
Beyond selfies
Saeed took this picture of a Syrian father and his child on a bus from Athens to Idomeni.
Image: Kevin McElvaney/ProjectRefugeeCameras
More than status
In another snapshot taken by Saeed, a volunteer working in a refugee camp somewhere between Croatia and Slovenia entertains a group of children, who try to imitate his tricks.
