More than 800 "jihadists" arrived in Germany over past four years — Russian General Staff

More than 800 "jihadists" arrived in Germany over past four years — Russian General Staff. (Tass).

"The situation remains tense in the Islamic diaspora dwelling areas in Austria, Belgium, France and other West European countries," the Russian military official says.

More than 800 "jihadists" have arrived in Germany over the past four years, Deputy Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Sergei Afanasyev said on Wednesday.

The situation remains tense in the Islamic diaspora dwelling areas in Austria, Belgium, France and other West European countries", Afanasyev said at the 5th Moscow International Security Conference.

According to the General Staff representative, the flow of refugees from the armed conflict-affected regions of Africa and the Middle East poses a real threat of destabilization of the situation in European countries.

Supporters of radical Islam or "outspoken terrorists" penetrate into European countries under the guise of migrants, Afanasyev said. Read the full story here.

Video - Qatari Educational Software on Islamic Conquests in Europe

Animated videos posted on the Internet teach children about Islamic conquests in Europe. The videos were produced as educational software for "Boys and Girls," the children's section of the Qatari government-owned Internet portal Islamweb.net.

A large number of the portal's educational videos were posted on various YouTube accounts. One video discusses the conquest of Al-Andalus, which was "in order to spread the light of Islam." "This is how Islam entered Al-Andalus, where it built a great civilization," an animated character says. Another video describes the conquest of Belgrade, "the fortified city that was the pride of Europe." The videos were posted on the Internet in February 2016.

“What is happening in the Middle East will happen in Europe” Syrian Orthodox Church leader.

“What is happening in the Middle East will happen in Europe” Syrian Orthodox Church leader. (Jihadwatch).

Isa Gürbüz, the Syrian Orthodox Church leader in Switzerland, calls Christians to be vigilant. The agenda of Islam is to take power.

“In 20 or 30 years there will be a Muslim majority in Europe. Half of European women will then wear a hijab.” This prediction doesn’t come from Michel Houellebecq or Thilo Sarrazin, but from Dionysos Isa Gürbüz, the Syrian Orthodox bishop in Switzerland. He resides in the idyllic Lake Zug Arth Capuchin monastery, with two monks and two nuns. From the monastery Mor Avgin, as it is called today, he oversees the 10,000 Syrian Orthodox faithful in Switzerland and 4,000 in Austria.

Isa Gürbüz is busy preparing for the Easter services, which are celebrated in his church in late April.

The fate of the Christians preoccupies the bishop.

Easter joy may not come easily for the bishop. He is too busy with the fate of Christians in the Middle East: “What today has caused thousands to join the terrorist groups of IS, Taliban or al-Qaida, is the extension of the genocide of 1915.” At that time nearly two million Christians – Aramean, Syrian and Greek Orthodox – perished, and millions converted to Islam.

The Bishop continues: “What is happening to us today began 1,300 years ago.” In the 7th century, the genocide of Christians began, then in the darkness, now in the media spotlight. The agenda of Islam has remained always the same to him, namely to expel the Christians from the Middle East. Also in the coming years, the spirit of terror will reign there.

The 51-year-old bishop comes, as do most Syrian Orthodox Christians living in Switzerland, from the eastern part of Turkey, which formerly belonged to Syria. Living at Turkey’s border with Syria at the beginning of the century were still 230,000 Syrians; today there are virtually none left.

Turkey is the enemy of Christians, says Isa Gürbüz.

Isa Gürbüz already sees Eurabia in the mind’s eye: the number of Muslims with many children will grow rapidly, will take power and will begin the persecution, he believes. “What is happening today in the Middle East will happen here in Europe.” He do not call for hatred, insists the bishop. Only for him, 1,300 years of history of persecution have taught him not to trust Muslims. He sees the beginnings of fateful proselytizing in Europe by Wahhabi Saudi Arabia and the Turkish Ministry of Religion Diyanet, in mosques in this country.  Hmmm....Sadly i totally agree with his views. Read the full story here.

Pew research - The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050.

Pew research - The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050. (PewResearch).

The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. Over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group, but Islam will grow faster than any other major religion. If current trends continue, by 2050 …

• The number of Muslims will nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.
• Atheists, agnostics and other people who do not affiliate with any religion – though increasing in countries such as the United States and France – will make up a declining share of the world’s total population.
• The global Buddhist population will be about the same size it was in 2010, while the Hindu and Jewish populations will be larger than they are today.
• In Europe, Muslims will make up 10% of the overall population.
• India will retain a Hindu majority but also will have the largest Muslim population of any country in the world, surpassing Indonesia.
• In the United States, Christians will decline from more than three-quarters of the population in 2010 to two-thirds in 2050, and Judaism will no longer be the largest non-Christian religion. Muslims will be more numerous in the U.S. than people who identify as Jewish on the basis of religion.
• Four out of every 10 Christians in the world will live in sub-Saharan Africa.

These are among the global religious trends highlighted in new demographic projections by the Pew Research Center. The projections take into account the current size and geographic distribution of the world’s major religions, age differences, fertility and mortality rates, international migration and patterns in conversion. Read the full story here.

New EU Report Shows That There Is No Way To Track Or Vet Refugees.

New EU Report Shows That There Is No Way To Track Or Vet Refugees.(Telegraph).

In the aftermath of the Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks the European Union’s own border agency, Frontex, has admitted that there is no way to effectively screen or track refugees coming across the border. The report also admitted that the large number of refugees pose a security threat for the EU countries.

“There is no EU system capable of tracing people’s movements following an illegal border-crossing. Therefore, it is not possible to establish the precise number of persons who have illegally crossed two sections of the external borders of the EU,” the report said.

The reported number of illegal crossing hit a new record of 1.82 million last year, six times higher than what was recorded in 2014.

The Frontex report also warned that a high number of EU citizens who left to join ISIS are now posing as refugees to gain entry back into Europe. The report acknowledged that, "With no thorough check or penalties in place for those making such false declarations, there is a risk that some persons representing a security threat to the EU may be taking advantage of this situation.”

It has been confirmed that two of the terrorists in the Paris attack entered as refugees through Greece.


FBI Director, James Comey, made similar security claims about refugees during a Senate hearing last year. After the Paris attack a majority of governors called for a halt in bringing Syrian refugees to the U.S. due to national security concerns. Last year the Obama administration said it would increase the current level of refugees from 70,000 to 85,000 this year with at least 10,000 coming from Syria.

Read more on this story at The Telegraph.

Extreme Islam 'winning battle' while face veils spread 'ideological message' – French PM Manuel Valls.

Extreme Islam 'winning battle' while face veils spread 'ideological message' – French PM Manuel Valls. (RT).

France's prime minister has warned that extreme forms of Islam are winning the propaganda war, adding that the Muslim face veil is being used as a political symbol for the “enslavement of women.”

Speaking at a roundtable discussion on Islamism in Paris on Monday, Manuel Valls warned that Salafists are “winning the ideological and cultural battle” in France, home to Europe's largest Muslim population, AFP reported.

"The Salafists must represent one percent of the Muslims in our country today, but their message - their messages on social networks - is the only one we end up hearing," he said.

Switching the topic to Muslim face veils – which France has banned in public places – Valls said they do not “represent a fashion fad, no, it's not a color one wears, no, it is enslavement to women.”

The prime minister went on to warn of the “ideological message that can spread behind religious symbols.”

"We have to make a distinction between wearing the veil as a scarf for older women, and it as a political gesture confronting French society,” he said.

Valls' comments come less than one week after France's women's rights minister, Laurence Rossignol, came under fire for comparing Muslims in veils to “American negroes who supported slavery.” 

Video - Germany Crosses the Demographic RUBICON: Ethnic German 20-35' year old's to be a MINORITY by 2020.

"Germany abolishes itself" is the English translation of the 2010 best selling book by author Thilo Sarrazin. It was written well before the current crisis and with foresight, Mr Sarrazin delineates the costs and failure of the post war immigration system in Germany.

Turkey’s bid for EU membership makes the case for Brexit – Farage.

Turkey’s bid for EU membership makes the case for Brexit – Farage. (RT).

UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage says Britain’s upcoming referendum on EU membership is a vote on whether the UK wants to enter political union with Turkey, a state he described as “increasingly Islamist and authoritarian.”

Farage made the remarks in a speech to fellow MEPs in Brussels, during which he also accused Turkey of blackmailing the EU into accepting its proposals to address the ongoing migrant crisis.

The comments come after the EU agreed to speed up Turkey’s accession process to the EU and pay Ankara €3 billion (US$3.3 billion) in aid in return for the country accepting tens of thousands of extra refugees.

Farage told MEPs on Wednesday that if Turkey joined the EU it would make Britain more vulnerable to terrorism.

“The historic error made by Chancellor Merkel last year by saying all can come has led directly to this mess and now we are being blackmailed by Turkey. I wish that David Cameron was as good at negotiations as the Turks are,” he said.

“So we are going to go into political union with a country that has got borders with Iraq, Iran and Syria, a country that is poorer than anybody else in the European Union and give free movement to 75 million people. And join up with a government that is increasingly Islamist and authoritarian.

“Well this referendum in Britain is all about what is the safest option. It is pretty clear to me that a vote to remain is a vote for Turkey, a vote to remain is a vote for massively increased immigration into Britain and a vote to remain is a vote that makes Britain more vulnerable to terrorism. It is safer to vote to leave and take back control of our borders,” he added. Hmmm....... Erdogan Made the EUnuchs an Offer They Couldn't Refuse. Read the full story here.             

Turkey's 'leadership' brings new offer to EU Meeting 'That they can't refuse' .

#Turkey seeking '€20bn' more in aid - Reuters. https://t.co/57sqhyT5Dc pic.twitter.com/VEPt32Zc3s

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) March 7, 2016

Turkey's 'leadership' brings new offer to EU Meeting 'That they can't refuse' . (FT).

Ahead of crunch summit between EU leaders and the Turkish prime minister on Monday, Ankara has called for an increase on the €3bn in aid previously promised by the EU, faster access to Schengen visas for Turkish citizens and accelerated progress in its EU membership bid, write Alex Barker and Duncan Robinson in Brussels.

Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the proposed deal demonstrated “how indispensable the EU is for Turkey and Turkey for the EU”. Speaking before the meeting, Mr Davutoğlu added: “The whole future of Europe is on the table.”

• Turkey is now expected to call for increase on the €3bn in aid which was agreed by the EU. Even that sum is a sticking point, the money was promised but has not yet been delivered, and new aid projects will be part of the discussion.

• Turkey will push for further progress on Turkey’s EU bid, mentioned by Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu as he arrived, mentioning to reporters “how indispensable the EU is for Turkey and Turkey for the EU”.

• EU leaders are likely to say the country has many conditions it must meet for its EU bid to progress. German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Sunday that Berlin had major doubts about whether Turkey should become a member of the EU.

• Davutoglu is also expected to raise the access to Schengen visas for Turkish citizens.

• Those demands are in return for allowing the return of non-Syrian migrants to Turkey, if they attempt to cross to Europe.


•  But the new Turkish demands are causing headaches for diplomats, with one comparing the haggling to a “Turkish bazaar” according to the FT. 

Hmmm......Of course the Caliph will try to blackmail them, are they really this stupid? Read the full story here.

EU-Summit Draft: Balkan Route will be closed, “resettlement” of Syrian refugees from Turkey to EU countries.

The EU Negotiating 

EU-Summit Draft: Balkan Route will be closed, “resettlement” of Syrian refugees from Turkey to EU countries. HT: KeepTalkingGreece.

The European Commission has allegedly prepared a Draft proposal that the EU leaders will be called to sign tomorrow Monday in Brussels. “The European Union leaders plan to officially announce the Closure of the Balkan Route for refugees and the internal borders of Schengen for economic migrants.” According to an exclusive story published by Austrian newspaper Der Standard, that has reportedly obtained a copy of the Conclusions Draft prepared by the European Commission, “the immediate end of the migrants’  flow and the waving from Greece to Germany is top priority of the EU policy.” And this will be decided and announced at the extraordinary EU-Turkey Summit on Refugee Crisis in Brussels tomorrow Monday.

Major points form the draft:

• “The irregular migrant’s flow along the Balkan Route comes to an end. this Route is now closed.
• Greece must immediately create 50,000 places for potential asylum-seekers, it gets “any help” from EU.
• Migrants with no chance for asylum should be immediately deported to Turkey. An EU-Turkey agreement to this effect will go into effect as of 1. June 2016.
• Turkey will play a constructive role in the external borders control.
• The EU member states will be committed to begin with the “resettlement” of Syrian refugees from Turkey to EU countries.
• The Frontex will be strengthen with more staff at the Greek border to FYROM and Albania The Frontex should take care that the Hot Spots in Greece are in full operation.
• the Europol should help in the fight against smugglers.

The Draft mentions also a roadmap that includes: states to send Frontex staff (1. April), starting of Relocation (16. March Summit), restore of Schengen cancellation (end of 2016).

The draft also confirms the 700 million euro assistance, although in the September 22nd 2015 decision, the amount was 780 million euro. Together with all previously agreed measures so could be invested in aid to refugees in the coming months be about one billion euros from the EU.

However, the most touching paragraph of the draft is, of course, the following:

The EU leaders will “do the maximum to assist Greece in this difficult moment.” It is about “a collective responsibility of the community, which requires fast and efficient mobilization of all available resources”, but “also the contributions of the Member States.”  Hmmm......Anyone noticed how scared they are to put a number up on how many refugees they (EU & Turkey) agreed upon to take? Read the full story here.

EU is poised to restrict free travel within Schengen Area

EU is poised to restrict free travel within Schengen Area. (DS).

BRUSSELS: European Union countries are poised to restrict passport-free travel by invoking an emergency rule to impose controls at several borders for two more years because of the migration crisis, according to EU documents seen by The Associated Press.

The switch will reverse a decades-old trend of expanding passport-free travel in Europe.

The documents show that EU policy makers are preparing to make unprecedented use of an emergency provision by declaring that Greece is failing to sufficiently protect it border. Some 2,000 people are still arriving daily on Greek islands in smugglers' boats from Turkey, most of them keen to move deeper into Europe to wealthier countries like Germany and Sweden.

In Brussels on Friday, EU nations acknowledged that the overall functioning of Schengen "is at serious risk" and said Greece must make further efforts to deal with the migrant crisis at its source.

With a sense of compromise, Friday's EU statement acknowledged the vast challenge facing Greece, saying "the very large number of arrivals is such that the external border controls of any member state would be placed under severe pressure."

So far, six Schengen members have imposed border checks, and many of those would have to dismantle them starting in mid-May under Schengen rules. Germany has until May 13, and has made clear that it does not want to relinquish the checks. The other countries are France, Austria, Denmark, and Norway. Read the full story here.

Greece agrees to recognize Turkey as ‘safe’ country meaning it can turn back refugees.

Greece agrees to recognize Turkey as ‘safe’ country meaning it can turn back refugees. (ekathimerini).

Greek authorities agreed on Friday to recognize Turkey as a “safe third country,” which means migrants for whom Turkey is a country of transit, not of origin, can be returned there.

The decision was announced after a meeting in Athens between Greek Interior Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis and his French and German counterparts, Bernard Cazeneuve and Thomas de Maiziere.

“This is a major step for Greece and we are taking it because we want to show our willingness to find a comprehensive way to address the problem,” said Kouroublis after the meeting. European officials said the shift in Greek policy was a “good start.”

The goal “cannot just be to register arriving refugees and to relocate them equitably [but above all] to reduce the flow,” said de Maiziere at the end of his two-day visit. He added that Germany is sending 100 police officers and two coast guard vessels to Greece.

Cazeneuve said he is in favor of the European Union border agency taking on greater responsibility. Data from the passport-free Schengen zone must include “terrorism [records] by police and intelligence agencies, and conditions must be created to link the Schengen system to other criminal records,” Cazeneuve told reporters.

Greece is under pressure to complete the creation of more “hot spots” for registering refugees and migrants later this month. Athens has enlisted the help of the army to carry out the work.

As of yesterday, 94 prefabricated structures had been delivered to the site in Chios and 87 on Leros. Construction work was under way on Samos, where an old army firing range is being converted.

On Kos, riot police who had been sent to the island from Athens fired tear gas to deter some 100 locals who tried to force their way into a disused army camp that is being turned into a hot spot.

European Union sources told Kathimerini they are hopeful that at least three of the five centers will be ready in the next few days given that the army is now coordinating the work and humanitarian aid has arrived from other EU member states.  Hmmm........Return to sender.

EU Border Office Chief on Refugee Crisis: 'We Should Have No Illusions, numbers are not coming down'.

EU Border Office Chief on Refugee Crisis: 'We Should Have No Illusions, numbers are not coming down'. (Spiegel).

SPIEGEL: Mr. Leggeri, Turkey is seen as playing a crucial role in handling the refugee crisis. Is the government there doing enough to limit the influx of migrants to Europe?

Leggeri: No. Taking care of 2 million Syrian refugees is, of course, a burden for Turkey. I appreciate that. But if Ankara is going to demand sweeping concessions, such as a relaxation of visa requirements for its citizens, we Europeans should be able to expect more in return in the form of more stringent border controls.

SPIEGEL: As the head of the EU border agency Frontex, what do you have in mind?

Leggeri: Turkey should make life more difficult for the human-traffickers. These are organized criminals we're talking about. The Turkish police have the responsibility and the opportunity to put them out of business. At the very least, we expect Turkey to provide us with information: How many refugees can we expect? And where are they going to arrive?


SPIEGEL: At the moment, the number of refugees is decreasing slightly compared to last autumn. Why?


Leggeri: This seems to be due to the winter weather. We won't be able to say whether cooperating with Turkey has already begun to show positive results for at least another few weeks. Despite the bad weather, between 2,000-3,000 people are arriving in Greece each day.

SPIEGEL: The UN refugee agency estimates that a million refugees could try and reach the EU via Turkey this year. Is this realistic?

Leggeri: Yes. We should have no illusions: As long as the bloodshed in Syria continues, refugees will keep coming. Even if all we're able to do is keep the numbers stable, that would already be an achievement.

SPIEGEL: Three thousand people per day for 365 days ...

Leggeri: ... is still 1 million refugees a year. I'm familiar with the math.

SPIEGEL: Amnesty International reports that Turkey has sent hundreds of Syrian and Iraqi refugees back to their home countries.


Leggeri: I can't confirm those reports. One thing is clear: Turkey is a candidate country for EU accession. It is required to offer sanctuary to people in need of protection. It may not simply send them back into danger. Read the full story here.

Source.

German intelligence agency received over 100 tip-offs about Islamic State fighters among refugees.

German intelligence agency received over 100 tip-offs about ISIS fighters among refugees. (Albawaba).

Germany's domestic intelligence agency, BfV, has received over 100 tip-offs about Islamic State fighters among refugees seeking asylum in Germany, Reuters reported.

The German newspaper Berliner Zeitung cited the BfV chief, Hans-Georg Maassen, as mentioning the number of tips during a discussion with Interior Ministry politicians.

Maassen has also said that some of the tip-offs were dismissed as cases of defamation, Berliner Zeitung said.

Xenophobic attacks on migrants are on the rise, and critics have stepped up pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel to do more to curb numbers of migrants seeking asylum in Germany.

The BfV agency has not issued a statement and was not available for comment.

Video - Danish female journalist on rapes and terrorism: We need men “that can stand up, who can fight back”

French Defense Minister Says 'Major Risk' of IS Crossing in to Europe with Libya Refugees.

French Defense Minister Says 'Major Risk' of IS Crossing in to Europe with Libya Refugees. (Naharnet).

Islamic State fighters hiding among refugees traveling from Libya to Italy pose a "major risk" to Europe, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday. 

Le Drian said there was an "urgent" need for a political solution to the crisis in Libya to help combat the spread of the Islamic State group (IS), which now has several thousand fighters in the North African country.

"Daesh is installing itself," Le Drian told French TV, using the Arabic acronym for the IS group. 

"I have been very worried about Libya since September 2014. They are there, nearly 300 kilometers from the coast, and they are spreading."

He said that put IS only 350 kilometers from the Italian island of Lampedusa, the arrival point for thousands of migrants and refugees leaving Libya for the European Union.

"When good weather comes to the Mediterranean, there is the risk that (IS fighters) could make the crossing, mixing in with refugees. It's a major risk," said Le Drian. Read the full story here.

Bulgarian PM Borisov Calls for Immediately Closing EU's External Borders.

Bulgarian PM Borisov Calls for Immediately Closing EU's External Borders. (Novinite).

Bulgarian Prime Minister called on Friday for an immediate closure of the external borders of the EU in view of the ongoing migrant crisis.

Borisov said this during a joint briefing with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban who arrived on a visit to Bulgaria on Thursday evening.

The Bulgarian prime minister noted that European leaders have failed to reach consensus on this issue at several meetings of the European Council.

He expressed hope that at the forthcoming meetings of the European Council the European leaders will be fairer towards the migrants.

In his words, Europe could no longer sustain the refugee influx.

According to him, the return of migrants once they have reached western Europe was even more inhumane than halting them at the external borders.

Borisov was convinced that if earlier calls for closing the external borders had been heard half a year ago, there would have been need for fewer migrants to be returned.

He was firm that the stance of the EU should take into account the common European solidarity as no single state should be left on its own to deal with all the refugees.

During the press conference, Orban called on the EU to admit the success of Bulgaria in dealing with the refugee crisis and to offer the country membership to the Schengen Area.

Macedonia 'Closes Border with Greece to Migrants'

Macedonia 'Closes Border with Greece to Migrants'. (Novinete).

Greece says Macedonia is no longer allowing migrants to enter the country on their way to Central and Western Europe, ABC news reports.

Skopje officials did not immediately comment, but Athens maintains the border has effectively been sealed off to migrants for several days.

Macedonia announced in November it would only let in people seeking asylum from countries where conflict is raging, such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The step was announced as a result of similar decisions from Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia.

Last week, some EU member states' governments suggested the EU should ask Bulgaria and Macedonia, Greece's northern neighbors, for more cooperation if Athens fails to provide the border controls needed to curb the flow of migrants into Europe.

Dutch plan for EU ‘refugee swap’ with Turkey.

Dutch plan for EU ‘refugee swap’ with Turkey. (EUObserver).

The Netherlands is gathering support among a group of EU countries for a plan to accept “a couple hundred thousand refugees per year” from Turkey, in exchange for sending back all illegal migrants that arrive in Greece.

The plan was revealed on Thursday (28 January) by Dutch social-democrat leader Diederik Samsom in an interview with newspaper De Volkskrant, and has the support of prime minister Mark Rutte.

The Netherlands currently holds the rotating six-month EU presidency.

“I think there is a realistic chance that by this spring a leading group of EU countries will have an agreement with Turkey about a legal migration route for a couple hundred thousand refugees per year, in exchange for [Turkey] accepting back everyone who enters [the EU] via Greece,” Samsom told the paper's Brussels correspondent.

The idea is to distribute "between 150,000 and 250,000" refugees among EU countries who voluntarily take part in the plan. #BS  ----->

A first meeting about the plan took place in December, with Rutte, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Swedish prime minister Stefan Loefven, and Dutch EU commissioner Frans Timmermans.





Samsom noted he has been speaking “intensively” with Germany, Austria, and Sweden “because they have social-democrats in the government”.

“In the worst case scenario, only these countries plus a few like France, Spain, and Portugal take part,” he said, adding that France has been “dodging” the issue.

“When I call prime minister Valls [about the plan], he says 'interessant, tres interessant', and hopes I don't ask any further.”

While under the Samsom plan reluctant member states would not be forced to take up any refugees, they would have to pitch in financially. The plan, which he described as “the permanent [EU] asylum system”, would be funded from the EU budget.

For the plan to work and for illegal migrants to be sent back to Turkey “by return ferry”, Turkey would have to be considered a safe country by United Nations criteria. Hmmmm.......Why do i have the feeling that the EU population is watching a Kabuki theater performance? Read more here.

#Turkey PM @Ahmet_Davutoglu tells Turkish businesspeople in #Germany that hundreds of thousands of #Syrians will likely come to Germany

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) January 23, 2016

EU ministers to meet in Amsterdam to discuss reintroducing national border controls for two years.

EU ministers to meet in Amsterdam to discuss reintroducing national border controls for two years. (RT).

EU ministers will meet in Amsterdam to discuss steps to allow states to reintroduce national border controls for two years, possibly spelling the end for the 30-year-old Schengen Agreement allowing passport-free travel across 26 states, according to reports.

The refugee crisis has pushed Europe to “a make or break” point, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, giving rise to fresh fears that the Schengen agreement – currently cracking under the strain of migrants arriving en masse from the Middle East, Africa and beyond – could be reviewed.

The influx of refugees has greatly increased the pressure on Schengen, and when asked whether it was at risk, Lagarde replied: “Yes, I think so.”

Under the Schengen Agreement, temporary border checks may be extended for a total period of two years. For the extension to happen, EU leaders have to agree that "persistent serious deficiencies" in controls at Schengen's external borders put its very existence in jeopardy.

"We have not yet launched this mechanism ... (but) this possibility exists, it is there and the Commission is prepared to use it if need be," a spokeswoman for the EU's executive said of the potential extension on Friday, Reuters reported. The Commission would then have to recommend the extension and the European Council approve it by a qualified majority.

So far six Schengen members (Germany, Sweden, Austria, France, Denmark and non-EU member Norway) have been forced to resort to reinstating temporary border checks in the passport-free area - measures which can stay in place until May. Read the full story here.