The grand coalition opposed the admission of 5000 vulnerable people in the Bundestag Refugees from Greece voted – although numerous Social Democrats actually largely support a corresponding proposal by the Greens. The SPD parliamentary group leader Eva Högl said during the plenary debate on Wednesday evening that the proposal contained “a lot of things”, but that he was of no help in the current situation. Instead, a European solution is needed.
–
The Greens had demanded, among other things, that Germany admit 5000 unaccompanied children, pregnant women, women traveling alone or those who were severely traumatized from the Greek refugee camps. The Greek authorities should also receive humanitarian and financial support. In a roll call vote, only 117 MPs supported this request, 495 MPs voted against.
–
However, many SPD MPs made a personal statement in which they emphasized: “I am for the admission of refugees within the framework of a European coalition of reason.” Only in this way can those affected be given comprehensive help. “Approval of the Greens’ proposal would not achieve this.” The Social Democrats thus avoided a possible coalition crisis. The coalition agreement between the CDU / CSU and the SPD stipulates uniform voting behavior in the Bundestag.
–
Union MPs call for ‘coalition of the willing’
In the Union, the Greens’ demands met with clear rejection. CDU MP Alexander Throm warned that going it alone would undermine efforts to create a common European asylum system.
48 Union MPs made a personal statement in which they provided humanitarian aid to refugees in Greece“and beyond” call for a European admission of children and adolescents from the overcrowded Greek refugee camps, possibly with a ‘coalition of the willing’. “But:” The one-sided national single-handedly demanded by the Greens with acceptance of quotas would complicate all European solutions . That would be the wrong way to go, “they argue.
–
Minors “get out of this hole”
Previously, the Federal Minister of the Interior had already Horst Seehofer (CSU) open to European admission of children and young people from Greek refugee camps – but only if other European countries move along.
Luxembourg and Finland have already given concrete figures on the takeover of underage refugees from the Greek islands, according to EU Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson. Every EU country should “get ten unaccompanied minors out of this hole” for every half a million inhabitants, Luxembourg Minister Jean Asselborn suggested in Brussels. France had also declared its willingness to accept children and young people. “I think that’s a very good idea,” said Johansson. “It is imperative to get them away from these conditions on the islands and to have a haven for them.”
–
Priority: securing the border
However, after a special meeting of the EU interior ministers in Brussels on Wednesday, Seehofer said that no redistribution of refugees has yet been discussed. First, order had to be established in the Greek border region, then one could talk about humanitarian aid for unaccompanied refugee minors on the Greek islands.
Since Turkey declared the borders to the EU open at the weekend, the pressure on the Greek borders has increased significantly. According to the UN, thousands of migrants persevere on the Turkish border.
Greece secures the border with harshness. Security forces use stun grenades and tear gas to push people back. Human rights activists and migration researchers sharply criticize the procedure. The EU Commission announcedTo help Greece in the tense migration situation. The EU authority Frontex sends reinforcements to the Greek border.
–
