Confederation wants to protect deserters
Baerbock: Of course, the right to asylum also applies to Russians
09/23/2022, 8:31 p.m
Fear of partial mobilization is rampant in Russia. Thousands are fleeing the country as a result. The federal government does not want to refuse them entry. But there are also security problems.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has signaled that Germany is prepared to grant asylum to Russian deserters as well. “Fortunately” there is a right of asylum in Germany, which enables people fleeing war and violence to get protection here: “And that counts for every citizen in this world and of course it also counts for Russians who are about to die and worry about life,” said Baerbock on the program “RTL Aktuell”.
It is now about “upholding the right to asylum,” said the Green politician. At the same time, Baerbock referred to the concerns of the Baltic states, where the question was asked: “If a lot of Russians come from the neighboring country, what does that actually mean for the Ukrainians who have sought protection there?” That’s why the next steps have to be coordinated “together as Europeans,” said Baerbock.
The federal government is also in favor of generously granting Russian deserters protection in Germany – although it also sees security problems. In each individual case, the “actual motives” for leaving for Germany would have to be checked, said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin. In particular, care must be taken to ensure that those entering Germany “possibly on behalf of the Russian state power” come to Germany.
Individual examination necessary in each case
According to a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Office for Refugees (BAMF), which is responsible for asylum applications, assumes “that desertion or conscientious objection to military service in Russia is usually a reason for protection”.
Nevertheless, an individual examination is necessary in each case, “because of course we must not forget security considerations, especially from Russia,” said the spokesman. Especially when entering the country “from the Russian military” you always have to look carefully: “Who is coming to Germany?”
According to the Federal Foreign Office, the number of visa applications from Russia has been increasing again for several weeks and months. A spokeswoman said that nothing can be said about developments since President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization this week.
“Not everyone who refuses to mobilize is also an opponent of Putin”
In view of the partial mobilization in the war of aggression against Ukraine, coalition politicians had previously called for Russian conscientious objectors to be admitted quickly. “Anyone who does not want to take part as a soldier in Putin’s murderous war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law, and therefore flees Russia, must be granted asylum in Germany,” said the parliamentary director of the Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Irene Mihalic, of the “Rheinische Post”.
The Union warned against hardly any uncontrolled entries. “The Union is not participating in the outbidding competition for the admission of Russians who refuse to mobilize,” said Andrea Lindholz, deputy leader of the CSU parliamentary group in Berlin. “Not everyone who refuses to mobilize is also an opponent of Putin.” A “blanket asylum promise” in these cases would be wrong.
Lindholz called for a “coordinated European position”. The federal government must “ensure that hundreds of thousands of Russians who refuse to mobilize do not come to Germany via the EU’s external and internal borders unchecked,” she said. “This would also pose a security risk with a view to Russian intelligence activity.”