In the latest development of Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis, tensions flaring up between Germany and Austria have led the Austrian Interior Ministry to consider erecting (yet another) fence on its southern border with Slovenia. This being a border between two adherents of the Schengen Treaty makes this an unprecedented step in the crisis and in the history of Europe’s Schengen zone.

The figure now stands at 700,000; the number of refugees and migrants who have made their way to Europe’s borders, fleeing war, dictatorship and poverty. Since the crisis began, Hungary, one of the earlier flashpoints, closed it’s southern borders with Serbia and later Croatia, erecting a fence in order to stem the influx of migrants.

The German Dilemma

This has far from deterred refugees from making their way to their destination of choice; more often than not this being Germany. However tensions flared on Tuesday as the Bavarian Premier – Horst Seehofer – claimed that the Austrian government was not doing enough to stem the tied of migrants into Germany and more importantly the Bavarian state, whose borders now see unprecedented levels of people streaming across them. The FT likened the disagreements to those between the Slovenian and Croatian governments which had been taking place ever since the crisis shifted to these small countries following the closing of the Hungarian borders. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière has supported these comments, blaming Vienna for putting the German frontier authorities under extreme pressure. In fact de Maizière and his Chancellor have other worries as their Bavarian sister party has been pressuring Chancellor Merkel to drop her open door policy to refugees, and claiming she has not done enough to slow down the extensive flow of refugees. Seehofer has also threatened to take action in Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court if Merkel does not change her stance on the subject. Merkel and Seehofer are due to meet in a crisis meeting on Saturday in order to resolve this issue in the German establishment, however as the FAZ put it, and as everyone in Germany knows, Seehofer’s No.1 priority is Bavaria, not Germany.

In the meanwhile, in response to the rapidly unravelling levels of prior agreement between the two German speaking countries, Austria’s Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner announced on Wednesday the possibility of building a fence on Austria’s southern border with Slovenia. This attempt to stem the migrant flow seems to mirror neighbouring countries in the region in an attempt to stem and channel the migrant flow into northern Europe, however this will be the first fence erected on the border between two adherents of the Schengen Treaty. Commentators have highlighted the fact that this goes against previous Austrian policies on the subject, having criticised Hungary in September for constructing a border fence. Both Mikl-Leitner and Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann have tried to reduce concerns about the border fence, claiming “This is about ensuring an orderly, controlled entry into our country, not about shutting down the border”. Both Austria and its southern neighbour have been key transit countries for tens of thousands of refugees trying to reach northern Europe via the Balkans.

Fortress Europe

It is on this subject that I have first heard the term “fortress Europe” used in a positive light. In an interview in the FAZ Mikl-Leitner said that Europe has to be considering the construction of a fortress Europe as one of its highest priorities. When ‘fortress Europe’ was first coined as a term, it was used to reference the incredibly difficult process of getting a visa externally to work in Europe. Even today, people have cited the almost impossibility of legal migration to Europe as one of the main issues of crisis. CEPS, one of Europe’s leading think-tanks, published in a report in September that advocated the Commission “put forward a proposal for legislative changes to achieve the lifting of visa requirements and carrier sanctions on transport companies so that persons seeking asylum in the EU can arrive safely”. Now it is meant literally by the Austrian Minister. She says it would facilitate the channelling of refugees and ensure that they arrive in an orderly manner. I’ll leave you to consider the merits of that argument.

The plight of Slovenia

Slovenia in recent days has itself become one of the key flashpoints of the crisis, highlighting its own troubles in the Brussels summit on Monday of Balkan leaders, as well as Alexis Tsipras, Greek Prime Minister, and Angela Merkel. Slovenia, a small state of just 2 million people has seen 84,000 people enter its borders in the past 10 days, and between Monday evening and Tuesday morning over 8,000 people were received. This is larger than the total Slovenian police force, numbering just 7,000, resulting in the country requiring to draft in its army and private security forces. Local Slovenian life is a thing of the past, and despite flooding the zone with volunteers and receiving numerous donations, conditions in Slovenia for migrants – who are dropped off in fields by trains from Croatia and told to walk to the Austrian border – are terrible. Thus it is clear to see why the country feels it is overwhelmed and has been left in the lurch by authorities in Brussels. Euroscepticism and growing intolerance towards refugees is on the rise, in a nation that previously had a positive disposition towards Brussels. To this end, considering all options to deal with the crisis, Slovenian authorities it would even consider invoking Article 222 of the Lisbon Treaty – a formal request of European aid and military support, used in times of terrorist attack, or crisis either natural or man-made. The clause has never been invoked. To lower demands for its invocation, EU leaders have provided the country with 400 additional police and €10 million in aid. However to add to the growing sense of drama, Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar said at the weekend the EU would risk falling apart if the pressure was not eased.

The summit held at the weekend had good points and bad, as heating exchanges between Balkan leaders led to concerns in Brussels that tensions could lead to a reopening of old wounds left over from the Yugoslav wars. However by the Monday, the 11 governments issued a pledge to work together, as well as a 17-point action plan that includes accommodation for 100,000 people. Merkel, who called the summit, emphasised the importance of finding a humane solution to the tens of thousands who will soon find themselves trapped behind closing Balkan borders, as the autumn turns to winter. Alexis Tsipras was reportedly satisfied with the outcome. Greece promised to step up its registering of incoming refugees, and increase its accommodation of refugees by 30,000 places by the end of the year. In the end it seems, discussion can apparently lead to successful outcomes in a crisis.

A comment on the ineffectual power of Brussels

Why do people think this crisis has been going on for months without Brussels being able to do a thing to stop it? Because the power in this case (and in most which demand real EU cooperation) does not rest in Brussels but in the capitals of the EU member-states. When Jean-Claude Juncker described the worst finger-pointing as “the politics of panic”, this is more of a note left on the desk begging you to address your behaviour, rather than an actual order which has to be followed (even ‘stern warning’ is a little too strong). In this situation, as in the Greek debt crisis which reached its highpoint in July, the Commission is powerless to actually act and determine the direction of the EU. So when people complain about the power of Brussels, the unchecked, undemocratic bureaucrats who determine everything in the EU, I really have no idea what they mean because right now it is a lack of power in the supranational institutions that’s the problem, not too much power. As Wolfgang Münchau wrote in the FT this month, quota systems worked out in behind-closed-door negotiations between governments only breeds resentment really, in the place of an actual authority in charge. It is about as effective as fiscal transfers between countries. Many Slovenians’ faith in Brussels’ ability to solve its problems has frayed as the country becomes the latest flashpoint in the crisis. But that’s because Brussels cannot solve Slovenia’s problems as Brussels doesn’t call the shots – it just makes sure they are stuck to. As Europe deals with this crisis, it should also find itself asking “how are we going to make sure we don’t fail so miserably again?” And I believe the answer to that is pretty clear.

Sources: FT, FAZ, France 24, Reuters, BBC, AFP, DPA, CEPS