Esken clearly rejects asylum procedures outside the EU

Migration - Esken clearly rejects asylum procedures outside the EU

SPD leader Saskia Esken has clearly rejected the Union's call for asylum procedures to be relocated to countries outside the European Union.

"The forced externalization of asylum procedures violates the Geneva Convention on Refugees, which was created in response to the mass expulsions by the Nazis," Esken told the German Press Agency. "We are aware of our history and that is why the Geneva Refugee Convention remains our clear landmark."

Relocation of asylum procedures

In the draft for its new basic program, the CDU advocates a shift in asylum procedures. According to its plans, anyone who applies for asylum in the EU should be transferred to a safe country outside the European Union and undergo a procedure there. If the outcome is positive, the applicant would be granted protection there.

Rwanda in East Africa was the first country to offer its cooperation for such a model. However, the British government's plan to outsource asylum procedures there failed before the British Supreme Court in November.

Appeal from Dobrindt

In addition to the Geneva Refugee Convention, Esken listed a whole series of other reasons why she does not consider the so-called Rwanda model to be feasible: "The European Commission has rejected the plans as incompatible with EU law, the European Court of Human Rights has stopped the British Rwanda plans and the UNHCR has rejected any cooperation on Rwanda models."

Just a few days ago, CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt called on the traffic light coalition not to oppose the relocation of asylum procedures. Germany could "make a promise of protection that is also guaranteed and fulfilled by us in countries outside of Europe", he told dpa. Then no one would be prepared to pay 10,000 or 20,000 euros for a smuggling operation - "knowing that they will not end up in the German social systems, but will find themselves with a protection status outside Europe".

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1. Saskia Esken, the leader of Germany's SPD party, has vehemently opposed the EU's proposal to relocate asylum procedures to countries outside the European Union.
2. The Union's suggestion of externalizing asylum procedures has been criticized by Esken, as it allegedly contravenes the Geneva Convention on Refugees.
3. The CDU, another major German party, has proposed shifting asylum procedures, suggesting that applicants should undergo procedures in safe countries outside the EU if they apply for asylum within the EU.
4. Alexander Dobrindt, the CSU regional group leader, has advocated for the coalition government not to resist the relocation of asylum procedures, arguing that Germany could offer protection outside Europe and deter smuggling operations.
5. The British government's attempt to outsource asylum procedures to Rwanda was rejected by the British Supreme Court in November 2021.
6. Critics of the so-called Rwanda model, including Esken and the European Commission, argue that it is incompatible with EU law, in conflict with the European Court of Human Rights, and against the UNHCR's cooperation on Rwanda models.
7. The turn of the year saw the SPD party rejecting the possibility of resolving the budget before the end of the year, according to a report by the German Press Agency.

Source: www.stern.de