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EU open-borders agreement threatens a 'wave of migration and crime' ALLAN HALL A wave of crime and illegal immigration will sweep across Europe when nine more EU states scrap their border controls next month, it has been claimed. The creation of a free travel zone means an individual could journey from as far east as the Russian border to Britain's doorstep at Calais without having to show a passport. The controls are being scrapped under the Schengen agreement, which was signed by all but a handful of EU nations. Although Britain opted out, critics of Schengen say this country remains a favoured destination for both criminals and economic refugees and faces a new wave of clandestine entry.
In the Ukraine, officials say the country is already struggling to cope with a buildup of migrants gathering at its EU border in the hope of reaching western Europe. Germany, which is at the heart of the free-travel zone, has been a strong supporter of the extension of Schengen. But the country's police take a different view to its politicians. The union representing Germany's 40,000 frontier officers has called for a massive protest on Thursday in a town on Germany's border with Poland. It is urging Germany to stop what it calls "the insanity of Schengen" and demanding increased, not relaxed, vigilance on the country's borders.
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