German Green Party’s Federal Delegation Expresses Frustration Over Delayed Answers to Questions on Border Controls
The German Green Party’s federal delegation has expressed frustration over the slow response to their questions on the newly introduced border controls by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, led by Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU).
Multiple members of the delegation had submitted nearly 20 questions regarding the scope, costs and legal basis for the intensified controls at Germany’s borders. The ministry responded to some of the questions three days late and the last response, which was due by Tuesday, arrived at the Greens’ office on Friday afternoon.
Konstantin von Notz, the Greens’ deputy faction leader, is upset, stating in an interview with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland: “Apparently, it is extremely difficult for Minister Dobrindt and his team to answer straightforward, frequently publicly discussed questions. While other parliamentary bodies responded within the one-week timeframe, numerous questions addressed to the Federal Ministry of the Interior remained unanswered.”
During the government question period on Wednesday, Dobrindt told the Bundestag that his ministry had requested “frivolity waivers” from the parliamentarians. However, this did not occur and no explanation was provided for the delays, according to von Notz.
While acknowledging that the ministry might need some time to settle in at the beginning of a new legislative period, von Notz emphasized that it is a self-evident expectation that the parliamentary question right, a crucial instrument of opposition control over government actions, is respected.
The answers to the remaining questions, reported by the RND, are often vague, with a few exceptions. The ministry acknowledged that not only the responsible departments within the ministry, but also the Federal Police, were involved in drafting the justifications for the rejection of asylum seekers. In response to another question, the ministry simply stated, “The measures are in line with international and municipal law” without providing further details.