- The Authority has been tasked with generating a suggestion for a mandate focusing on shielding workers from hazards stemming from radiation exposure, specifically ionising radiation.
After the push for tighter border controls by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), Baden-Württemberg's Minister President Winfried Kretschmann** is open to stronger refusals. "It's been proven that border controls, where they were implemented, were effective," the Green politician stated in Stuttgart. The Federal Interior Minister must figure out a legally sound approach. "If she puts forward such suggestions, I'm open to them," said the head of government. He urged skeptics in his party to reconsider their objections.
On Monday, Faeser ordered six-month border controls at all German land borders - not just in the east and south - to better contain the number of unauthorized entries. The controls are scheduled to begin on September 16. The government has also developed a "model for lawful and effective refusals," the ministry mentioned.
Kretschmann is an advocate for limiting irregular migration, but he also emphasizes the need for regular immigration to bolster the labor and skilled worker market. "Asylum law should not be repeatedly conflated with immigration policy," said Kretschmann.
Currently, refusals at German land borders are only permitted in specific scenarios: when someone is subject to an entry ban or fails to apply for asylum. Refusals at internal borders are only possible where there are direct border controls.
Since October 2023, over 30,000 people have been refused, according to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. In mid-October 2023, Federal Interior Minister Faeser ordered stationary controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. Such controls at the German-Austrian land border have been in place since September 2015. The newly ordered controls directly at the border affect the land borders with France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Green Party members in the federal government are more hesitant than Kretschmann. The head of the federal Greens, Omid Nouripour, said it's crucial to discuss these ideas with European partner states and, most importantly, with neighboring countries. He also referenced Austria, which has already indicated it does not want to take back migrants rejected by Germany.
Green interior politician Irene Mihalic voiced concerns again about a chain reaction if Germany began widely refusing at the borders. "That would undoubtedly trigger a domino effect," said the parliamentary business manager of the federal Greens.
Kretschmann was not overly swayed by these concerns. "It's clear that parts of my party are having trouble fully committing to the fact that we must curb irregular migration, stating it openly and pursuing it," he said.
However, continuous uncertainty is not a solution either. "Giving in to pressure from others is not a winning strategy," he said. The Greens' losses in the recent state elections in Saxony and Thuringia served as a reminder. "Those are messages that everyone should hear," said Kretschmann.
The Commission within the Federal Interior Ministry has proposed a "model for lawful and effective refusals," which Winfried Kretschmann mentioned as a potential approach for strengthening border controls. Despite Green Party members in the federal government being more hesitant, Baden-Württemberg's Minister President Kretschmann remains open to considering proposals from The Commission that could help curb irregular migration.
