The newly-formed German government will draft a new plan concerning refugees and asylum seekers, that will include faster procedures and tougher deportation policies, according to Horst Seehofer, the country’s incoming Minister of the Interior. Germany receives the highest number of asylum applicants and refugees in the EU, with Albanians high up on the list
During an interview in newspaper “Bild am Sonntag,” Seehofer, leader of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), who is set to take over the newly renamed Interior, Construction, and Homeland Ministry in the upcoming government formed in coalition with Chancellor Merkel, stated:
We have a master plan for faster asylum procedures, and more consistent deportations. The number of deportations must be increased significantly. We need to take tougher action, especially in the case of criminals and perpetrators among asylum seekers.
The designate Minister, who has always been critical of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s immigration policies, stated that decisions on asylum applications must be made in a few months, while vowing to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy toward criminals.
“We want to remain an open-minded and liberal country. But when it comes to protecting our citizens, we need a strong state. I’ll make sure of that,” Seehofer said. “There has to be a consensus throughout Germany that we will no longer tolerate lawless zones.”
Last year, German Ambassador Susanne Schutz had already stated that Albanians cannot hope to receive asylum in Germany. At the same time, the country siphons off the best university graduates in the field of healthcare and medicine, severely weakening the Albanian healthcare infrastructure.
