Tighter border controls needed - Alfano

(ANSA) - Brussels, November 20 - The tightening of EU border controls approved by interior ministers Friday is "a heavy and grave toughening of controls, made necessary by the moment," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said. "All EU citizens will be controlled more effectively on their way in and out of external borders," he said. "That doesn't mean only showing documents but also police checks on names and criminal records on all interconnected data banks. There will be extra controls on intra-EU flights too".