Austria's Defense Minister Hans-Peter Doskozil has said his country now stands ready to send military officers to protect its borders, amidst a possible surge in the number of migrants from the Middle East this spring. As part of a set of measures to bolster border security, the country will also step up security at Brenner, a municipality lying next to the Austria-Italy border. Doskozil has told Die Welt newspaper that the step has to be taken at an EU level. He has suggested a Europe-wide civil-military mission should be deployed to assist Frontex in case of emergency. Doskozil has explained that Vienna is determined to work for its security regardless of the EU-Turkey deal aimed at curbing the inflow of migrants who cross into Europe via Greece, mostly using a sea route to make it across the Aegean from the Turkish coast. "As the EU's external borders are not being efficiently protected for the moment, Austrial will soon introduce stricter border controls," Die Welt quotes him as saying. He has added it is "in the vital interest of Germany" that the 28-nation bloc's external borders are properly guarded. "We are proposing a civil-military EU mission to support Frontex, precisely at those external EU border where it is needed. This could be in Greece, Bulgaria, or also in Italy." Austria has repeatedly warned of the risk that, after the closure of the so-called Western Balkans migrant route triggered by the deal, a new route might appear that includes Bulgaria, either by land (through the borders with Turkey or Greece) or by Sea. The Austrian authorities have also said intense smugglers' activity has been detected in both Bulgaria and Hungary. Initially, Sofia sought to ensure the inclusion of guarantees in the EU-Turkey agreement that security measures will be taken not to allow the establishment of a new route via Bulgaria, but the proposal was watered down.
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