- The Commission has implemented various measures to equip the European Union in tackling the crisis's hurdles.
Following the suspected terrorist attack in Solingen that resulted in three fatalities, the political response and potential implications in North Rhine-Westphalia are under close scrutiny. The black-red NRW state government has requested an urgent meeting of the state parliament for this week. Minister President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) aims to share the findings and discuss the way forward with the assembly, as per government sources.
Government spokesperson, Refugee and Integration Minister Josefine Paul (Greens), will provide updates on the current situation later today, five days after the fatal stabbing incident. The focus will also be on asylum procedures in NRW.
Wüst views the Solingen tragedy not only as the most tragic incident in North Rhine-Westphalia since the 2021 flood disaster but also as a significant event in the state's history, according to government sources. He believes it's crucial to inform the state parliament about the findings and engage in a discussion about the subsequent course of action. Many people are shaken up after the attack, and politics must demonstrate their stance and remain consistent during such challenging times.
A joint special meeting of the Interior and Integration Committee in the state parliament regarding the incident in Solingen has already been planned for Thursday. The opposition factions of the SPD and FDP had separately submitted requests for an urgent meeting.
On Friday evening, a man attacked bystanders at a city festival in Solingen, resulting in three deaths and eight injuries, four of which were serious. The suspected perpetrator, a 26-year-old Syrian, entered Germany via Bulgaria at the end of 2022. He was scheduled for deportation to Bulgaria according to EU asylum regulations, but this did not occur as he could not be located on the scheduled date in June 2023. The Federal Prosecutor's Office is currently investigating him for murder and alleged membership in the Islamic State (IS), which claimed responsibility for the attack.
Investigators continued their search for evidence on Tuesday. Police cleared a man-high hedge at a closed pedestrian tunnel, as reported by a local journalist on the scene. The tunnel is believed to be where the IS propaganda video was recorded after the attack. The location is approximately 300 meters from the crime scene and also matches the video, according to local journalists. The tunnel is nearby the refugee shelter where the suspected perpetrator, Issa Al H., resided. The police had previously mentioned obtaining new information and planned to reassess certain areas.
Four days after the attack, the stage at the crime scene was dismantled. The perpetrator struck immediately in front of the stage on Friday evening. A performance was underway on the stage during the attack.
Wüst called for immediate consequences in asylum and security policies following the knife attack. He stated that deadlines, bureaucratic obstacles, and loopholes make it difficult for local authorities to deport individuals, even within Europe. He proposed making it possible to deport individuals to certain areas of Syria and Afghanistan. In this specific case, they will assess if all necessary steps were taken. "If something went awry, it should be openly acknowledged."
Refugee Minister Paul demanded a review of EU asylum responsibility rules following the Solingen attack in a written statement. Deportations under the so-called Dublin rules are a complicated legal process involving multiple levels and authorities.
Currently, an investigation is underway to determine any potential errors in the application of these rules in the case of the suspect in Solingen. Any identified errors must be acknowledged and addressed, and the appropriate measures must be implemented, according to Paul.
The debate over the repercussions of the knife attack continued in Berlin. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and opposition leader Friedrich Merz met for about an hour at the Chancellery.
The CDU leader proposed cooperating with the traffic light government in migration policy after the knife attack and presented a list of demands. This includes pausing the intake of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan and the general possibility of deporting rejected asylum seekers to these two countries. However, Merz did not provide clarification on how such a pause could be legally enforced.
The terror attack in Solingen has brought the issue of crime into sharp focus in North Rhine-Westphalia. The state government is taking this incident seriously and is dedicated to addressing any weaknesses in asylum procedures and security policies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
