Austria’s Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, has threatened to shut down its border with Germany if the country tries to turn away migrants at its southern border.
“We would be ready and do everything necessary to protect our borders,” Kurz told German media.
“That would mean securing the border on the Brenner (pass) and other locations.”
His comments come after German Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer, revealed his desire to refuse migrants entry into Germany if they had already passed through another member state.
The 63-point-plan was kicked into the long grass after a reported row with chancellor Angela Merkel.
Seehofer vowed to close the border if Merkel couldn’t come up with a viable solution by the end of the month.
Later today, up to 1,000 police officers and specialist border agents will practice closing off the country’s borders.
Interior Minister Herbert Kickl said the country must “be prepared for the case that in a sudden large migratory flow, [because] border protection measures in friendly countries no longer help.”
The exercise is designed to show “that we are serious,” according to the Minister.
“There will be no registration and waving through with us, but a real defensive attitude.
“Our policemen will be standing so close to the Slovenian border that any application for asylum there will be a case for the Slovenians.”