German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig has called on her European Union counterpart, Alexander Dobrindt, to provide a swift explanation for the rejection of asylum seekers at Germany’s borders, despite a recent court ruling deeming the practice unlawful.
According to Hubig, the German government’s initial justification for the rejections, based solely on domestic law, is no longer tenable. She believes that the EU’s Article 72, which allows for the temporary re-establishment of border controls in exceptional circumstances, is being misused in this case.
The Justice Minister emphasized that as long as the European Court of Justice has not made a final ruling, the debate will continue and the government’s stance will be subject to change if the courts consistently rule the rejections to be unlawful.
Hubig also expressed skepticism about the government’s ability to provide a convincing explanation that meets the requirements of Article 72, given that the rejections were ordered in the government’s own discretion and have already been deemed unlawful by the Berlin Administrative Court in three emergency proceedings.
The Justice Minister stated that the government will closely monitor further court decisions and engage in discussions about the legitimacy of the rejections in light of the court’s findings.