31–40 of 69 posts
I always find it ironic how Denmark is proud of Vikings and protects borders at the same time. There’re axes on border guards’ uniforms. Also, the traffic lights have a viking with an axe instead of a regular figure. Yet Vikings were universally hated back in the day for not respecting borders.
As a Dane living in Denmark, I don’t think it’s a big problem. We don’t show passports when entering Germany, only when returning to Denmark. And several times, if I forgot my passport, a driver’s license has been sufficient. Passport control is not really, if I have to be direct, aimed at the locals. Unfortunately, Schengen has made it easy for organized crime. On the simpler end, for example, bicycle theft, cargo b…
>There is no control when you drive out of the country (possibly with stolen goods), and there is no round-the-clock passport control at all border crossings. The modern EU economy can't function if you were to thoroughly check every single vehicle transiting a border. The costs to the economy would far outpace whatever some Eastern Europe Rroma thieves can steal from someone's back yard, nor do I wish to be checked…
Border controls don't bother me much if they're just a quick check. Countries need to verify that who is coming in is who they say they are. My problem with Schengen Zone is that you can only spend 3 months there and have to leave. There was a time you could go to Europe and spend an entire year traveling country to country, now it's only a 3 months.
As an Austrian I'm very disappointed by this overall development. I grew up in a much more unified European Union and the degradation of Schengen is a very visible sign that something is happening to the union and what's happening is bad news. We have been a leading actor in the destruction of Schengen sadly for internal stupid political reasons.
Anecdotal, but: this is probably more of a Denmark thing and not a Schengen thing. I recently crossed French, Dutch, German, and Polish borders on 4 separate trips and had no checks.
We crossed Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and Hungary and were checked when entering Austria and Germany. However this was just but a small inconvenience- we waited over three hours to enter Hungary from non-Schengen country on almost 40 degrees Celsius in a car. Compared to that, Schengen (still) is a godsend.
Was that an actual check that could catch something, or was that just a useless inconvenient?
Because whenever I enter Austria, the "border check" is just a young grunt soldier from his mandatory military service slowing down cars to 30kph and waiving them through. One time that young soldier fell asleep in his booth with his hand out. Probably too much partying the night before so I can imagine his CO wasn't thrilled when he saw that.
So to me, the Schengen border checks are 99% inconvenience and security theater, and 1% actual security.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
>There is no control when you drive out of the country (possibly with stolen goods), and there is no round-the-clock passport control at all border crossings. The modern EU economy can't function if you were to thoroughly check every single vehicle transiting a border. The costs to the economy would far outpace whatever some Eastern Europe Rroma thieves can steal from someone's back yard, nor do I wish to be checked…
Why are you implying the thiefs are Roma? From what I've read and found out from local incidents it's normal people from Romania, Poland, Bulgaria and so on
Well yes internal borders work fine when external borders are taken seriously, not when countries are pretty much forced to accept anyone thanks to human trafficking orgs and lax regulation imagined for war times not for "my country sucks" type of problem. > And yet: countries like Denmark are safer and more prosperous than ever before. Maybe ask the Swedes about how things are going there (apart from internet hyperb…
>not with the farce that exists today where "asylum" is used is a get-out-of-jail free card The problem with the current asylum system is basically anyone can come in and say: "look, Russia, US, UK, France and coalition blew up my middle eastern country, so now countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Austria who had nothing to do with it, need to give me asylum to me and my whole family, simple" which makes the s…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Asylum today is basically: "look, Russia, US, UK, France and coalition blew up my middle eastern country, so now countries like Denmark No-no-no, Denmark took an active part in Iraq invasion and was also invaded Libya. Refugee crisis isn’t just about Syria.
Which middle eastern conflict did Austria take part in?
Correction: wrote Usaf instead of ISAF
Well yes internal borders work fine when external borders are taken seriously, not when countries are pretty much forced to accept anyone thanks to human trafficking orgs and lax regulation imagined for war times not for "my country sucks" type of problem. > And yet: countries like Denmark are safer and more prosperous than ever before. Maybe ask the Swedes about how things are going there (apart from internet hyperb…
Personally, I think you illustrate well my main issue with the EU, which is that I have to live in the same political entity as the bloody racists in the north and the east. Still seem worth it overall nevertheless especially considering I already have to live with our local grown racists here anyway.