According to Merz, migrants who experience persecution in their home countries do not need to fear deportation. Those who fled the war must return after the war is over, the Chancellor stressed. In Damascus, it is necessary to find ways to encourage migrants to rebuild their territory.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that people who are persecuted politically or religiously are allowed to stay in Germany. Those politically and religiously persecuted “we will not deport them. That’s clear,” the CDU leader said at an event organized by the Local Political Association of the CDU and CSU in Germany.
At the same time, he reiterated once again that migrants seeking refuge from the civil war should return to their home countries after the civil war ends. “Those who temporarily fled the civil war here should return to their home countries when the civil war is over.”
Merz announced that he would talk to the Syrian president about what can be done so that people here can contribute to reconstruction there after the civil war ends. Many of them are needed there and should therefore have incentives to return to their homeland.
Finally, Merz spoke about the prospects for well-integrated migrants to remain in the country. “Many are here and needed here, for example they are already doctors or work in various professions. We also want to give them the prospect of staying here if they are integrated and if they and their families are able to earn their own living here,” he added.
Debate on the return of Syrian migrants
Recently there have been differences of opinion within the European Union regarding the possibility of deportation to Syria. During his visit to Syria, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) expressed his objection to the possible return of Syrian migrants from Germany. This is “only possible to a very limited extent at present”. The Minister of Foreign Affairs compared the situation in post-civil war countries with the situation in Germany after the Second World War. Some parts of the Union, including Interior Minister Dobrindt, criticized Wadephul for the statement.
According to Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), Syrians who are well integrated in Germany should not expect deportation to their home country in the near future. “Whoever integrates and works has a chance to survive,” Dobrindt told “Spiegel” on Thursday.
At the same time, he reiterated: “It is up to the Syrian people whether their integration and participation in the world of work will be successful. Anyone who does not integrate, who does not work, has the prospect of returning to Syria.” Even Syrians who have returned to their homeland no longer have the right to live in Germany. “Anyone who flies to their homeland is clearly not in danger there. This also means they lose their protected status.”
AFP/dpa/dp
