Looming terrorism threat makes EU Schengen zone a ‘utopian idea which must be scrapped’

Jacques Myard, from the right-wing Republicans party, labelled the idea of a Europe without internal borders as a “thing of the past”.

The Mayor of Maisons-Laffitte, a suburb north west of Paris, told RT: “It is very true that today not only the Schengen but many [other] aspects of the European construction are not functioning properly.

“Schengen is an opportunity to improve control of our frontiers. Unfortunately, we should restore the internal control at our borders to prevent people to smuggle in. 

“This is why I do believe that the Schengen agreement should be revisited on a more realistic basis than this utopian principle of having a free zone without any control at the internal borders.”

He added: “Even France because of the terrorist attacks has restored very quick control at our borders, especially in the airports and also at land borders.”

Mr Myard’s remarks echo the claims made by Nigel Farage, who said the “the free movement of people also means the free movement of terrorists”.

The growing anti-EU sentiment comes after a spate of terror attacks have swept across the continent in recent years.

One Brussels suicide bomber, Ibrahi Bakraoui, utilised the free movement of people by travelling across multiple EU states before detonating an explosive vest at Brussels airport last year.

And the Berlin truck attack, carried out by failed Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri, managed to flee to Milan where he was shot and killed.

At least one of the Catalonia terror group, Imam Abdelbaki Es Satty, managed to travel to Belgium from Spain despite being sacked from a Belgian mosque for his radical beliefs.

European Parliament president Antonio Tajani hinted at making an intelligence service that would mimic the FBI, although that idea has been slapped down by former British intelligence officer Annie Machon.

Ms Machon said: “It sounds like another step toward federalised Europe. To create a European-wide FBI would have immense problems. To get the intelligence agencies of the 28 countries in the EU, to cooperate, to share fully, to work together would be incredibly difficult.”


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