Steinmeier critiques the government's failure to uphold its pledges regarding safety and security.
Following the incident in Solingen, Federal President Steinmeier also holds the government responsible. Potential flaws need to be addressed, he insists. To maintain the security of the nation, a stronger stance against unlawful immigration is necessary as well.
According to Steinmeier, the government "didn't live up to its commitment of protection and security" in Solingen. He made these comments during a memorial service for the victims of the presumed Islamic extremist attack in the Bergisch city. The incident, potential mistakes, and oversights that may have contributed to the act not being prevented need to be thoroughly examined. Germany provides shelter to individuals escaping political persecution and war, grants asylum. "We aim to continue being this nation."
The attack affects the nation at its very core. The brutal act strikes "a welcoming, open, diverse nation" at its heart, said Steinmeier. "It strikes us in our self-perception as a nation, where people live together peacefully despite their differences - people who have been living here for generations just as much as those who arrived more recently." The head of state emphasized in his eulogy: "Exactly on this core, the Solingen attacker targeted his hatred, just like the perpetrators in the past."
Simultaneously, Steinmeier urged for stricter actions against unlawful immigration. "Every single effort" must be made for this, he emphasized. The topic of immigration and its control "must be a priority in the coming years." Steinmeier underscored the importance of the fundamental right to asylum: "We are, for valid reasons, a nation that accepts individuals seeking protection from political persecution and war."
However, this only works, "if the number of those who arrive without a claim to this special protection does not overwhelm us," he said. Moreover, those seeking protection "need to respect the laws and order of our nation." The Federal President described it as "unacceptable" that the suspect "apparently sought and found protection here - and misused this protection so horribly."
A 26-year-old man from Syria is suspected of the act. He entered Germany as a refugee via Bulgaria and is now in custody. The terrorist group Islamic State (IS) claims responsibility for the act. "Fanatical Islamists aim to destroy what we value: our open society, our way of life, our community, our freedom," said Steinmeier. "We don't want the terrorists' calculations to succeed, that their terrible seed bears fruit, but we feel fear and uncertainty. Both have their reasons." However, we must not let fear immobilize us.
Solingen's Mayor Tim Kurzbach called for unity at the memorial service. "The attack targeted people on stage in Solingen, but it was aimed at all of us," said the SPD politician. "We will remain open to the world," he continued. "We will celebrate life again, precisely because terrorists who want to take away our joy should never succeed."
Among the approximately 450 guests at the memorial service in the Theater and Concert Hall were, among others, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President of the Bundestag Bärbel Bas, as well as the Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst and Interior Minister Herbert Reul. Steinmeier's wife Elke Büdenbender was also among the guests.
The Federal President acknowledges that addressing potential flaws in immigration processes is essential to maintain the nation's security, stating, "The topic of immigration and its control must be a priority in the coming years." Despite this, Steinmeier emphasizes the importance of upholding Germany's commitment to providing refuge for those fleeing political persecution and war, adding, "We are, for valid reasons, a nation that accepts individuals seeking protection from political persecution and war."
