Norway introduced temporary border checks after raising the level of terrorist threat in the country, BTA reported. The checks will be carried out until October 22, according to a statement from Norwegian police.
On October 8, Norway's security agency raised its terror threat alert level from moderate to high. This is the second highest degree on the five-point scale in the country. The service indicated at the time growing threats of attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in particular.
Norway is not a member of the EU, but is part of the Schengen area. It has a land border with Sweden and with Finland, which are members of the EU and are in Schengen.
Police have clarified that the introduction of border checks for a temporary period will not result in physically checking all passengers and there are no reasons to expect delays when crossing checkpoints.
Norwegian security services are particularly concerned about criminal networks suspected of shootings and bombings near the Israeli embassies in Stockholm and Copenhagen earlier in the month.
Meanwhile, it has become clear that Germany is softening its project to tighten its immigration policy, France Press reported, cited by BTA, referring to a document it obtained.
The plan to tighten immigration comes after knife attacks in Germany by migrants rocked the country. Now, however, according to a document obtained by AFP, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government has softened its project.
One of three key measures in the text presented by the cabinet at the end of August called for the removal of benefits for asylum seekers who first entered another EU member state before coming to Germany. This provision is preserved in the new version of the project, but the parties from Scholz's governing coalition have added exceptions to it. Under the changes, a complete abolition of aid will be possible if returning migrants to the EU country they first entered is legally and effectively possible, according to the document seen by AFP. An exception will be made in the case where children are also affected.
According to the Dublin Regulations, the first EU country a foreigner illegally enters is responsible for processing his asylum application.
The amended text is expected to be debated in the German parliament by Friday.
Measures to tighten security after the attacks in Germany boosted the positions of the far right in provincial elections in three German states, also include making it easier to expel refugees who have resorted to using weapons, introducing restrictions on the carrying of edged weapons and expanding the powers of the authorities. The conservative opposition said these measures were not enough. And now one of the deputies from the ranks and Torsten Frei criticized the softening of the measures and said that the refugees, for whom Germany is not responsible, will be able to “hide behind the supposed exceptions“ provided for in them.