Germany: the leader of the opposition criticized after his charge against the “social tourism” of Ukrainians


The chairman of the German conservative CDU party, Friedrich Merz, drew criticism on Tuesday, September 27 after denouncing an alleged “social tourism» Ukrainian refugees who fled their country in the face of the Russian invasion. Faced with the outcry, the leader of the German opposition apologized on Tuesday morning for these remarks, which according to him concerned “exclusively the lack of registration of refugees“.

The day before, in the daily Bild, he had expressed his “great concern that the government’s decision to switch from the system of compensation for asylum seekers to the system of payment of unemployment benefit will cause considerable disruption“. According to the CDU chairman, who is aiming for the chancellery in 2025, “we are now witnessing a social tourism of these refugees to Germany, many of whom take advantage of this system“. He notably accused Ukrainians of going back and forth between Ukraine and Germany to receive aid.

We have a growing problem here.“Warned Friedrich Merz, whose party is leading in the polls ahead of the Greens and Olaf Scholz’s SPD. Nearly a million refugees fleeing Ukraine after the Russian invasion that began seven months ago have been registered in Germany, even though “A considerable number” of them did not stay in the country, had indicated on August 23 the Ministry of the Interior. These statements have drawn criticism, particularly within the government.

SEE ALSO – In the liberated territories, Ukrainians testify to torture by the Russian army

“Populism on the backs of the weakest”

Making a buzz about the Ukrainian women and children who fled Putin’s bombs and tanks is crummy“, Thus struck on the site of Bild the Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser. “If people commute between Germany and Ukraine, sometimes risking their lives, that is not social tourism. Perhaps it is simply concern for loved ones, a husband or father, or for one’s own country?“, abounded on Twitter the Minister of Justice, Marco Buschmann.

Talk about social tourism is destroying the cohesion we have had so far in supporting Ukraine and welcoming refugees. Those who say such things have zero sense of responsibility and empathy.“, for his part regretted the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag, Michael Roth. The popular daily Bild accused Friedrich Merz of “populism on the backs of the weakesta few days before a regional election.



Source link -94