Decision of Sweden, Denmark to Close Borders 'Resembles a Domino Effect'

The decision of some European countries to introduce border controls to stop the influx of migrants is a challenge that may signify the end of the Schengen area, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevičius said.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the diplomat said that the decision of Denmark and Sweden to close their borders looks like a "domino effect" and poses a threat to the free movement in the Schengen area, according to the portal 15min.lt.

"The decision of Sweden to close the border with Denmark and the decision of Denmark to close the border with Germany resembles a domino effect," Linkevičius said.

"I don't want to dramatize the situation, but I admit — this is a challenge. 2016 will become a serious test for the Schengen area," the diplomat added.

On Monday, the Danish government introduced temporary border controls at the country's border with Germany, after Sweden imposed identity checks on people arriving from the Danish territory earlier in the day. The measures were taken in a bid to control the flows of arriving refugees.

In Linkevičius' opinion, the EU should strengthen control of its external borders and ensure a thorough registration process of all arriving refugees, rather than introduce additional check-ups inside the Schengen area.

Earlier, the Lithuanian government agreed to accept 1,105 refugees from Syria, Iraq and Eritrea over the course of two years.