(AP) Austria announced Wednesday that it will start checking travel documents at its border with Slovakia following a similar decision by the Czech Republic to keep migrants from entering without authorization.
The checks were set to start at midnight Wednesday and initially will be enforced at 11 border crossings for 10 days, the Austrian government said.
The Austrian Interior Ministry says the border controls are intended to prevent migrant-smugglers from using Austria as an alternative route once the Czech Republic’s checks at its border with Slovakia start Thursday.
“We have to react before the smugglers react,” Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told public broadcaster ORF.
