BELGIUM: MENEN: SCHENGEN ZONE скачать в хорошем качестве

BELGIUM: MENEN: SCHENGEN ZONE

(28 Apr 1995) Dutch/Natsound A borderless Europe, inside the so-called Schengen zone, is not working as it should. France still forbids police patrols from neighbouring countries to enter the country in pursuit of criminals - a move that goes against the basic principles of the Schengen agreement. The French decision has strained relations with its neighbours, Belgium and Germany, who had been hoping that the Schengen agreement would at last spell the end of cross-border crime. Menen is a Belgian city of 35,000 citizens on the border with France. Under the Schengen agreement, signed by seven European countries, border controls have theoretically been abolished and replaced by cross-border police co-operation. When it came into force on the 26th of March, the residents of Menen thought that the agreement would help them live more harmoniously with their French neighbour. But the Schengen agreement has done nothing so far to halt the border town's biggest complaint - for the past few years, Menen has been terrorized by a French crime wave. Shopkeepers say that their shops are being robbed by French youths who enter the city at night. One of the latest victims was a sportswear shop in downtown Menen. SOUNDBITE: (Dutch) \"It's already the 11th time. Mostly they can't get in. They succeeded four times in stealing goods.\" SUPERCAPTION: Katelijn Lauwers, shopkeeper Lauwers sportswear] The mayor acknowledges he faces serious problems in tackling the crime wave. SOUNDBITE: (Dutch) \"For years we have been terrorized by raids from French gangs. Individuals operating alone or in groups terrorise the city of Menen with crimes.\" SUPERCAPTION: Jean Libbrecht, Mayor of Menen The youngsters come over the French border in stolen cars. They target clothes and jewellery shops before hurrying back over the border. The new Schengen agreement allows cross-border police patrols for the first time to pursue the thieves across the border. Or, at least, so the Belgians thought. However in an abrupt change of heart, Paris recently announced it was temporarily forbidding foreign police from setting foot on French soil. Germany and Belgium are predictably upset. Local Belgian police say it is deeply frustrating to fight criminals from the suburbs of northern French cities who remain tantalizingly out of arms reach as soon as they recross the border. The French government's decision appears to be influenced by fears that opening the borders will make life even easier for the criminal gangs. But the mayor of Menen has his own theory. He believes the French presidential elections could have played a part in influencing the French position. SOUNDBITE, English translation from Dutch \"Under certain circumstances - that I would call political circumstances - the Schengen agreement is being postponed. SUPERCAPTION; Jean Libbrecht, Mayor of Menen The only course of action left for border towns like Menen is to step up their own patrols. SOUNDBITE: (Dutch) \"From the side of the police, local and national police, there is a decision to put more men on the street, and to increase regularly more targeted controls towards those coming from France.\" SUPERCAPTION: Camille Willeput, police chief Menen Menen police patrol the border at night looking out for cars with French number plates. There has been an alarming rise in armed French gangs. In this case, it seemed that the Menen police struck first. The visiting criminals use their stolen vehicles to smash shop windows. SOUNDBITE: (Dutch) Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...