Germany adopts new plan to reduce irregular migration

BERLIN

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government and federal German states on Tuesday agreed on a plan to address the refugee crisis by tougher measures.

According to the government’s 10-point plan, Germany will step up efforts to deport economically motivated illegal migrants, continue its strict border controls, and restrict certain benefits for irregular migrants.

The government said it will increase its diplomatic efforts to conclude migration agreements with countries where most of the irregular migrants are coming from.

These agreements will enable legal migration of qualified professionals from these countries, and facilitate the repatriation of those whose asylum applications were declined, according to government sources.

As part of the plan, the government said it will also explore whether it would be legally possible to process asylum applications in transit or third countries outside the EU.

The idea is advocated by many politicians who argue that it would prevent asylum seekers from embarking on dangerous journeys and risking their lives at sea.

But critics say such a move would be in violation of international human rights conventions.

Scholz told reporters, after his lengthy negotiations with premiers of federal states on Monday night, that their aim is to reduce irregular migration and continue to take in asylum seekers who really need protection in Germany.

“It is necessary that we do everything to make sure that those who do not have a right to stay here can be repatriated to their countries more easily than it is the case today,” he said.

Currently, an estimated 280,000 foreign nationals are staying in Germany without a valid residence permit and are obliged to leave the country.

Nearly 80% of them have been allowed to stay so far because authorities could not deport them due to factual or legal reasons.

Scholz said his government will continue its legal and diplomatic initiatives to accelerate the deportation of rejected asylum seekers.

He also pledged stronger efforts to better protect the EU’s external borders and ensure a fair distribution of asylum seekers among the member states.

The German government has come under growing pressure recently due to the surge in refugee numbers. Local authorities have been complaining that they are facing a crisis in providing accommodation and social support to newly arrived asylum seekers.

Since the start of Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, over 1 million Ukrainian refugees have taken shelter in Germany.

Between January and October this year, more than 230,000 migrants applied for asylum, according to official figures. Many of them were Syrians and Afghans.