The Union rejects Greens’ requests to admit refugees from the Turkish-Greek border in Germany. “It is irresponsible because it sets completely false hopes in the world,” said CSU country group leader Alexander Dobrindt on Tuesday. As in 2015, there should not be another special German route.
The parliamentary director of the Union Group, Michael Grosse-Bromer, also warned of “wrong signals” by accepting contingents of refugees from the border region. “For someone we would take, 100 more are on their way,” said the CDU politician, referring to the migrants and refugees who are trying to get to Greece from Turkey.
“”We have no catching up to do with humanity in Germany,” said Grosse-Bromer, rejecting criticism of the Union’s stance. The EU’s external borders need to be protected. This also means that people are prevented from crossing the border, Dobrindt emphasized. The position of the Greens is “cynical” because it creates the impression that the events of 2015 should be repeated. The political center is in danger of being weakened if the debate is misguided, Dobrindt warned when asked whether the AfD would benefit from the renewed crisis.
Green Party leader Annalena Baerbock on Monday demanded that Germany initially accept 5,000 particularly vulnerable people from refugee camps on Greek islands. For this purpose, there was an application from the Greens in the Bundestag, which could be decided quickly. Baerbock recalled that Germany had agreed to accept 27,000 refugees from Italy and Greece in 2016. However, only a good 10,000 had been included under the EU agreement.
140 cities want to help
The EU countries would have to ensure “for humanity and order” at the Greek-Turkish border via Frontex and the European asylum agency, said Baerbock. “This is a question of law and order.” The EU’s external border must not be opened uncontrolled, but there must be the possibility of an orderly border crossing. The people at the border would have to be cared for and registered, and those seeking protection should be brought to safety from the Greek islands.
Baerbock emphasized that several cities and municipalities in Germany had offered to accept refugees. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) must make this possible. 140 cities and municipalities are currently ready to accept refugees. They have come together through the organization of the pier. However, the decision rests with the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which declines admission. A spokesman for the Ministry confirmed on Monday that the federal government had not made such a decision.
Chancellor Angela Merkel called the Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about the tensions surrounding the northern Syrian stronghold of Idlib. Both politicians expressed hope that Putin’s meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would produce results to resolve the conflict. This was announced by the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday. Erdoğan’s meeting with Putin is scheduled for Thursday in Moscow.
Merkel had criticized Erdogan on Monday for opening the Greek border to refugees. She understands that Turkey faces a very large task with regard to the mass exodus from Idlib, she said. But it is “unacceptable” to do this on the back of the refugees.
The Chancellor announced that she wanted to talk to the Turkish government about a solution. The issue can only be solved if the EU-Turkey agreement can be managed in such a way that it is accepted as sufficient by both sides. The March 2016 agreement stipulates that migrants entering the EU from Turkey can be returned. In return, the EU provides financial support for the care of refugees in Turkey.
