Tens of thousands would be affected
FDP calls for an end to subsidiary protection for Syrians and Afghans
20.06.2024, 20:20
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Most Syrians coming to Germany are not granted refugee status, but only so-called subsidiary protection. It is similar for Afghans. The FDP is calling for these people to be deported. It would be a drastic change of course.
FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai has spoken out in favor of not only deporting criminals to Syria and Afghanistan. “In my view, deportations to both Afghanistan and Syria are possible,” said Djir-Sarai in an interview with ntv. In his view, it is also necessary to “start negotiations with these states.” However, deportation via Uzbekistan would also be possible.
Djir-Sarai said there is no “one button” in migration policy that will solve all problems. “Different measures, different instruments are necessary.” One instrument is “successful deportation.”
The situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban is safer than it was a few years ago. “We think it’s terrible that these people are in power, but there is no longer the insecurity in Afghanistan that existed in the past.” “We can now deport people to Afghanistan.” The same applies to Syria: people can be deported to certain regions of the country.
Tens of thousands would be affected
In another interview with RTL, Djir-Sarai explained that since the wars in Afghanistan and Syria have ended, “subsidiary protection is no longer appropriate.” Persons who are granted neither asylum nor refugee protection, but who could face serious harm in their home country, as the Asylum Act states, for example through war, torture or the death penalty, are entitled to subsidiary protection.
Abolishing subsidiary protection would affect a large proportion of Syrians and Afghans living in Germany: in the first five months of this year, around 3,300 Syrians were recognized as refugees, while 34,000 only received subsidiary protection. In the same period, almost 7,400 Afghans were recognized as refugees, and 358 received subsidiary protection. However, more than 7,200 Afghans were only given a deportation ban.
Djir-Sarai said that it was necessary to examine what was legally possible and at what point in time certain people came to Germany. “Looking at the current situation and looking to the future, I believe that it is already possible to send people back to this region and that must be the goal.”
“Desolate security situation”
Experts doubt that Syria and Afghanistan are safe enough to deport people there. A report from the Bundestag’s scientific services in March speaks of “the desolate security situation and the precarious humanitarian situation in many places in Syria and Afghanistan.” This situation is likely to “regularly stand in the way of any deportations to these countries,” it concludes.
Almost two weeks ago, CSU leader Markus Söder called for the abolition of subsidiary protection for refugees from Afghanistan and Syria. Before the Prime Minister’s Conference this Thursday, Söder reiterated this position. Too many people who come to Germany from Syria or Afghanistan receive “blank checks” through subsidiary protection, he said this morning on Deutschlandfunk.
With regard to deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, Djir-Sarai told RTL that in his view it would be “possible to establish diplomatic relations with these states now.” This would also be a drastic change of course: Like most Western countries, Germany does not have diplomatic relations with Syria. In agreement with a large part of the international community, the German government has not recognized the Taliban regime as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Russia and China are currently in the process of softening their stance towards the Taliban, but so far they too have not maintained official diplomatic relations with the rulers in Kabul.
However, there is no need to establish diplomatic relations for deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, said Djir-Sarai, “because you can actually go this route through other states,” said the FDP politician. According to reports, the Federal Ministry of the Interior is holding talks with Uzbekistan on this matter.