Denmark Extends Schengen Border Checks to March 4 – Immigration Minister

According to Denmark's minister for immigration, Copenhagen is extending temporary border controls within the Schengen free-travel zone until March 4.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Danish government has decided on Tuesday to extend temporary border controls within the Schengen free-travel zone for a third time until March 4, Denmark's Minister for Immigration, Integration and Housing Inger Stojberg said in a statement.

"The government continues to view border controls as necessary to maintain order and security in Denmark. We must be in control of who enters the country and we do not want to see large accumulations of refugees and migrants in Denmark. Therefore we extend the check for another ten days," the statement reads.

Copenhagen introduced first temporary border checks on January 4, then extended them twice until February 23 as a measure to curb refugee influx.

The Schengen Borders Code allows the temporary reintroduction of control at internal borders for no more than 30 days subject to renewal. Debates are underway to allow members introduce two-year border controls.

The EU border agency Frontex detected over 1.8 million illegal border crossings in 2015, in contrast to some 283,000 in 2014.