Germany Pledges to Persist in Rejecting Asylum Seekers at Borders

(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Tuesday that Germany will persist in turning away asylum seekers at its borders, even after a court ruling deemed this practice unlawful.

Speaking at a Berlin conference, Merz stated, "Until the situation at the external borders is significantly improved with the help of new European rules, we will have to maintain controls at the internal borders."

He acknowledged a recent decision from the Berlin Administrative Court but maintained that the government still has some leeway. "Yesterday, we saw a preliminary ruling from the Berlin Administrative Court, which may further restrict the scope for maneuver. But the scope is still there. We know that we can still reject applications," Merz added.

The chancellor stressed that the government will continue to operate within the bounds of EU legislation.

"We will, of course, do so within the framework of existing European law. And we will do so, also to protect public safety and order in our country and to protect cities and municipalities from being overwhelmed. This is a task we continue to face," Merz affirmed.

On Monday, the Berlin Administrative Court issued an urgent ruling declaring the rejection of asylum seekers at German border controls unlawful. The court emphasized that asylum seekers cannot be denied entry without adherence to the Dublin regulation process.

This ruling arose from a case involving two men and a woman from Somalia who were traveling by train from Poland to Germany. They were stopped and checked by Federal Police at Frankfurt (Oder) station on May 9. After submitting their asylum applications, they were promptly sent back to Poland on the same day.

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