The Norwegian government said on Friday it would extend its border controls to prevent people without the required travel documents from entering the country as a prerequisite for its "internal security".

"The measure will be extended to prevent people who do not have the necessary travel documents from entering the country and ensures that we get better control on asylum seekers to Norway," Minister of Justice and Public Security Anders Anundsen was quoted as saying by news agency NTB.

Tightening border controls is "a prerequisite for our internal security," Anundsen said.

The temporary border checks, which were introduced on Nov. 26 and included controls on ferry routes between Norway and the European continent and tightened controls on its border with Sweden, would be extended by 20 days.

"Although the number of migrants coming across the borders within the Schengen zone has fallen in the last couple of weeks, the government still considers it necessary and proportional to prolong border control to ensure that we have a full knowledge of those who come across," Anundsen said.

The Norwegian government underlined that it might prolong border control further and was also currently evaluating whether it needs to expand border controls to include air and land borders.

Norway's measures came after Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofvenon said last month that his country was no longer capable of receiving asylum seekers at the high level as before and would implement measures to reduce the influx of refugees, including border controls and stricter residence and family reunification measures.

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