A free Europe Without Innereuropean Borders
Europe stands for freedom, cooperation, and open borders within the Schengen Area. For this promise to endure, however, we need common European solutions: effective protection of the EU’s external borders, coordinated security structures, and a migration policy that fairly shares responsibility. National border controls within Europe are not a sustainable answer – they burden people living in border regions and weaken trust in a shared European future.
Salzburg, 2 March 2026 – On Saturday, 28 March 2026 at 15:00, a demonstration for a free Europe and against permanent internal European border controls will take place at the Salzburg–Freilassing border crossing.
At a time when national unilateral approaches threaten Europe’s stability and cohesion, we stand for pragmatic, Europe-wide solutions. Border controls between Bavaria and Salzburg, carried out daily by the German federal government, lead to chronic traffic congestion, problems for commuters, and burdens for regional exchange – without solving the political challenges they are meant to address.
Rico Winter, Co-President of Volt Austria:
“The traffic jams at the border are a daily reality for commuters. We need a policy that sees borders not as obstacles, but as opportunities for cooperation. A policy that strengthens Europe instead of dividing it.”
Europe Needs European Solutions
We emphasize this again and again: free internal European borders are an essential element of European integration – and at the same time, the challenges we face must be addressed across borders. Only with a strong, democratic European Union can we:
develop a fair, humane, and coordinated migration policy,
strengthen shared security structures such as Frontex,
and at the same time preserve freedom of movement within Europe.
Instead of national solo approaches, we need genuine reform of EU institutions in order to solve shared problems together. Volt advocates for political solutions that do not stop at national borders but are shaped at the European level – whether in migration, climate protection, digitalization, or security.
For a Solidary, Democratic Europe
Open borders are not a luxury, but a cornerstone of Europe’s peace order. Especially in regions like Salzburg–Freilassing, where daily life is lived across borders, it becomes clear: isolation creates problems, not solutions.
We call for:
stronger protection of the EU’s external borders, including legal pathways for refugees, humanitarian support, and entry controls coordinated through Frontex,
a jointly coordinated security system instead of uncoordinated national controls,
and a strong European democracy in which people can actively participate in decision-making.
We invite everyone to join the demonstration and stand together for an open, fair, and united Europe. Because Europe’s future will not be decided at barrier gates – but through cooperation.
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