Horst Seehofer: "This is a master plan of the Ministry of the Interior, not the coalition"

Stand: 23:22 pm | Reading time: 4 minutes

B Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU) maintains the term "transit centers" despite the dispute with the SPD. Its long-awaited "Master Plan Migration" indicates that a "new border regime" is being designed at the German-Austrian border to prevent asylum seekers, whose procedures are processed by other countries of the EU, to enter the country. "We are setting up transit centers from which asylum seekers will be sent directly to the countries concerned," the document says.

Seehofer recently talked about border "transfer centers" for the SPD coalition partner. In the coalition decision, the term "transit centers" is no longer found.

Seehofer pointed out at the presentation of his 63-point program in Berlin that the plan had been created "under his responsibility". "It's a master plan of the Ministry of the Interior, not the coalition," he said. This had already been completed on July 4th. Anything that happens in the European, national implementation by the federation or in cooperation with the countries, "will not be registered here."

Seehofer does not see the master plan as a provocation

So also the July 5 coalition decision not found entry now, "said Seehofer .The goal was not to include the ideas of the SPD.The question of whether there was a new provocation was rejected by the Minister of the Interior.The plan should otherwise be rewritten every day as soon as new arrangements were made.In addition, it was not clear what measures the SPD would support. "If I call this a coalition plan, then the SPD will rightly criticize "

Coalition leaders agreed last Thursday to deny refugees on the German-Austrian border, to be tested in transit procedures, they should be rejected if they have already asked for asylum in another EU country

Seehofer said that he wanted to clarify during the month of July the agreement on the withdrawal of migrants that will be concluded with other EU countries. He expects "difficult discussions", but they could succeed. "The less Europe can afford, the more national action will become more important," the minister said. He stressed: "This master plan is part of the asylum change for Germany, which is urgent."

Seehofer made five notes to his master plan:

1. The plan reflects the balance between "order and humanity," said Seehofer. "We want the integration of people with the right of residence, but integration can only succeed with a limitation of immigration."

2. According to Mr Seehofer, the first priority concerns the countries of origin. "Humanity begins in the countries of origin," said the interior minister. If the causes of escape were fought there, "people will no longer penetrate Europe and Germany in this large number."

3. The Minister of the Interior said he saw no contrast between national and European solutions. "We, too, prefer European solutions." The less Europe can afford, the more national measures are needed.

4. According to him, the chance of planned anchor centers, in which asylum seekers have to go through the whole process, has increased sharply, said Seehofer. Repatriation of the so-called Dublin cases – asylum seekers already registered in another EU country – should come from these centers.

According to Mr Seehofer, the master plan is "a global concept". No action can solve the migration policy. "It is high time that we implement the plan step by step," he said. At the end of the year, there will be a package on the implementation of the migration plan.

Seehofer's master plan should be presented four weeks ago. The presentation was subsequently canceled due to the asylum dispute with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). It was the repatriation of refugees planned by Seehofer, who has already applied for asylum in another EU country. The subject triggered a weeks-long government crisis in which Seehofer offered his resignation.

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