Border Rail Fence Set Up at Copenhagen's Kastrup Station Amid Refugee Flow

A border rail fence between Sweden and Denmark at Copenhagen’s Kastrup rail station has been set up as part of Sweden's effort to curb illegal migration, local media reported Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Sweden introduced temporary border checks in early November in an effort to stem the increasing flow of refugees into the country through its border with Denmark. On January 4, ID checks will come into effect at the Denmark-Sweden border.

The Kastrup rail station contains terminals linking Copenhagen Airport and the Malmo Central Station in southern Sweden. The fence, separating the station's platforms, has been erected to prevent migrants from avoiding ID checks by crossing between platforms over rail tracks, according to the Swedish Kvallsposten newspaper.

Work on the fence began on December 20, with the station's owner Sund og Belt company covering the costs. The work has not been expensive, a company spokeswoman said, according to the newspaper. Meanwhile, Danish opposition politicians said that Sweden should have covered the costs related to its border checks, according to the publication.

In late 2015, Sweden became one of the top European destinations for asylum seekers. According to Eurostat, the number of applicants rose from just over 6,500 in June to almost 40,000 in November. Denmark has also seen an increase, but in contrast to Sweden, the country received just over 3,500 applications in November, up from approximately 1,000 in June.