Migration - Ramelow criticizes list of safe countries of origin
Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow has criticized the classification of Moldova and Georgia as safe countries of origin. Designating more and more countries as safe countries of origin is "unfortunately not a sensible approach" that can be sustained in the long term, said the Left Party politician on Friday. It would be more important to get countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria to cooperate better in identifying and taking back their citizens who are obliged to leave the country. Thuringia's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) had spoken out in favor of expanding the list.
On Friday, the Bundesrat approved the classification of Moldova and Georgia as safe countries of origin. The move is intended to limit the rising number of asylum seekers. The recognition rate for asylum seekers from the two former Soviet republics was less than 0.1 percent in the first half of the year. Thuringia abstained from the vote in the state chamber.
In the case of safe countries of origin, it is assumed that there is generally no persecution or inhuman or degrading treatment there - and that the asylum seeker is therefore not at risk of serious harm in their home country. This makes it easier to reject an asylum application. Furthermore, an asylum appeal has no suspensive effect. This means that those affected can take legal action against a negative decision by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, but must await the outcome of the proceedings abroad. So far, this applies to the countries of the European Union as well as Ghana, Senegal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro.
Currently, more than 15 percent of asylum applications that are rejected in Germany come from people from Georgia and Moldova, said Joachim Stamp (FDP), the federal government's representative for migration agreements. The Federal Council's decision forms the basis for "now being able to raise our already good cooperation with both countries to a new level with migration agreements and significantly reduce irregular migration".
At the same time, there are plans to improve existing seasonal worker regulations with these countries and to push ahead with an "education partnership". The German government is also working on recruiting Georgian and Moldovan workers, particularly in the care sector, who are currently in precarious employment in other countries.
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Source: www.stern.de
