- The desert fortifies the spinal area of Green Minister Paul.
After the suspected terror attack in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, which claimed three lives, the state's Minister President, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), has supported his refugee minister, Josefine Paul (Greens), who is facing scrutiny. Wüst praised Paul for providing a detailed account of the situation to parliament and the public during a special session of the state parliament. He acknowledged that she had already pinpointed initial flaws and initiated improvements.
Wüst further pledged complete transparency in examining any potential errors, but he emphasized that civil servants, who have been operating at capacity, particularly in local areas, should not be faulted for the attack. He argued that laying blame on immigration authorities or managing the issue locally would not address the problem's root causes.
Wüst underscored that the federal government and Europe share the responsibility to develop effective solutions for unlawful migration. He welcomed the federal government's security plan, comprising stricter gun laws and migration policies. According to him, this is the initial step towards a solution.
The suspect, a 26-year-old Syrian named Issa Al H., had vanished while scheduled for deportation. He had entered Germany via Bulgaria towards the end of 2022 and was supposed to be sent back to Bulgaria under the Dublin asylum rules. Unfortunately, this did not occur because he was not found at the designated time in June 2023. The facility failed to inform the Central Immigration Office about his presence on the preceding and subsequent days, and no new flight booking was made.
The opposition has chastised Paul for failing to take action against the numerous unsuccessful Dublin deportations prior to the attack.
The opposition continues to criticize Josefine Paul, the refugee minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Landtag, accusing her of not addressing the issue of numerous unfruitful Dublin deportations before the attack. Despite the Minister President's support and acknowledgment of her initial efforts, Paul now faces increased scrutiny over her handling of these matters.
