Bavaria Ready to Restrict Migrant Inflow Independently From Rest of Germany

BERLIN (SPUTNIK) – The Free State of Bavaria is ready to implement unilateral measures to restrict the inflow of migrants if Berlin does not change its policy on the issue, Bavaria’s Minister-President Horst Seehofer said Wednesday.

According to Seehofer, Bavaria will be forced to "defend itself effectively" if the federal government continues to accept an uncontrolled flow of migrants.

Among other measures, Seehofer said Bavaria would consider redirecting trains with migrants arriving in the region to other states in Germany. Seehofer also stressed the need for the creation of "intercept points" on the Bavarian border, so that migrants who come from "safe" regions of Europe would be denied entry.

During the period from September 1 to October 3, some 225,000 refugees arrived in Bavaria, according to Seehofer.

Germany is the main destination for the majority of economic migrants arriving in Europe from less affluent Balkan countries, as well as refugees from Syria and other conflict-torn regions of the Middle East and North Africa.

On Thursday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his country had accepted some 600,000 refugees since the start of the year, with 10,000 asylum seekers arriving on average every day.