German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced plans to intensify the deportation of individuals without a valid right of residence in Germany, in collaboration with EU member states. He emphasized the need for third countries to take in migrants who cannot be returned to their countries of origin, stating that the concept of a third-country solution can only be achieved through EU-level cooperation.
The minister noted that the German government can only initiate a return-offensive in close consultation with EU partners. He pointed out that the foundation for a third-country solution is being worked on at the European level and that the implementation of this concept could, for example, be achieved with rejected asylum seekers, as they have already gone through the asylum procedure.
Dobrindt also mentioned that the countries that could potentially be involved in a third-country solution in the future should be those that are geographically close to the countries of origin. He cited the examples of the UK and Italy, which had negotiated agreements with Rwanda and Albania, respectively, to outsource asylum procedures and care for individuals with protection titles, although the practical implementation of these agreements was hindered by court decisions in the two countries.
The interior minister also announced plans to begin deportations of rejected asylum seekers and criminals from Syria and Afghanistan as soon as possible. He expressed his intention to continue the conversation with Syrian government representatives and work with European neighbors to achieve a deal with Syria. Dobrindt emphasized that a return agreement with Syria and Afghanistan must be durable and not a short-term measure, as seen in the past with the repatriation of individuals from Afghanistan.
Dobrindt drew a positive balance of the stricter controls at Germany’s borders and rejections since the beginning of May, aimed at curbing illegal migration. He noted that the number of rejections has increased by 45 percent in the last three weeks and that the number of asylum applications at the border has decreased due to the swift dissemination of the message that entry into the Federal Republic of Germany is no longer guaranteed, even with an asylum application.
The minister also disputed the notion that the cooperation with neighboring countries at the borders is problematic, stating that there are no issues at the German borders and that the cooperation is in line with the aim of not overburdening the neighboring countries. He emphasized that the EU’s neighboring countries are positively evaluating the measures taken by the German government against illegal migration and that they appreciate Germany’s loss of attractiveness in this regard, which also relieves the transit countries. The French government, in particular, is a key partner in this effort, with Dobrindt and his French counterpart working on further initiatives, focusing on two main pillars: national and European efforts to curb migration.