Ex-border coverage about refugees: “We called it border pingpong” | EUROtoday

They have been utilized by the federal police for nearly 15 years and each on the interior German border and on the European exterior borders. What was essentially the most irritating expertise for you?
The most irritating was once we picked up folks in whom we knew that nothing of what they instructed us agreed: neither the id nor the origin nor the served escape historical past. It was all only a pretext to get to Germany. But as quickly as they put a safety for defense, we needed to allow them to go into the nation.

How do you verify whether or not the tales are proper?
Among different issues, with the assistance of fine interpreters, they will see that in line with two sentences. At my first interrogation we took up a younger man who claimed to return from Palestine and have been persecuted by the Israelis. After a number of sentences, an interpreter that was delivered to it instructed me that this might not be true. The dialect confirmed that the person got here from North Africa. I confronted him with it and he admitted it. There have been many such circumstances.

What occurred to him?
Since he couldn’t present any papers and no motive for asylum, we pushed him again to Belgium. A couple of days later I discovered that he had returned. This time he had made himself sensible: he wanted asylum. The colleague needed to let him in. Once we arrested a violent Eritrean at Dortmund Central Station, I used to be injured and was incapable of serving for months. The man had been noticeable a number of occasions. Weeks later I discovered that the process had been stopped attributable to insignificance and that the person had acquired safety standing regardless of additional crimes. These are frustration drivers.

In their expertise, who comes into the nation primarily
The typical profile is: male, from North Africa, the Middle East or the Persian area, together with Afghanistan, between 13 and 30. Because minors are notably protected in Germany, many are a minor. After the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, many additionally gave themselves out as Syrian refugees. Because it was the door opener. Women and youngsters are completely underrepresented.

Can’t perceive that younger Men Start an try in your personal nation with out a future?
But. These are sometimes folks from precarious situations, with out perspective, to whom an economically snug life is promised once they handle to return to Germany. It is usually adorned with “success stories” by compatriots. And then they arrive up in a mass lodging, with out a automotive, with out a girlfriend, with pocket cash in line with the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.

In your ebook “An der Border” you describe that Italy is usually sending asylum seekers to Germany.
Especially the international locations on the European exterior border, that are the one ones with accountability for the asylum process in line with the Dublin Ordinance, folks actively ship folks to Central Europe. And do not take again. There can also be one thing like that from Greece. I believe the entire asylum system has failed.

The future authorities needs to reject unlawful refugees on the German borders. Is that lifelike?
No it isn’t. You can solely reject those that journey with out papers and are available with out an entry floor. Anyone who places a seek for safety can enter. As a federal police, we can not and should not verify that. This is the crux.

In your opinion, what’s crucial lever to comprise unlawful migration?
In order to restrict the inflow, it could be good to cut back social advantages. But solely making dwelling situations worse for refugees isn’t a method. The technique should be to determine efficient exterior safety on the European exterior borders. Frontex is already in the suitable course. But all states must ship ample personnel and materials. There ought to then be asylum procedures on the exterior borders.

The President of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees has simply requested to abolish particular person legislation on asylum. What do you consider it?
At least it ought to be determined on the outer border. If you get asylum standing, you can enter Europe in line with a sure distribution key.

The proposal additionally comes from the Union to outsource the asylum process into a 3rd nation. Does that make sense?
The suggestion sounds attention-grabbing. But Italy failed in making an attempt to do precisely that in Albania. And the third nation is given a big lever to demand increasingly. A deterrent instance of that is the EU-Turkey deal, the place Milliarden has flowed into an autocratic Türkiye on German tax cash. In 2020, Turkey terminated the deal one-sided, however this was misplaced in the midst of the Corona wave.

In the SPD and Union’s exploratory paper, it says: “In coordination with our European neighbors, we will also make rejections at the common borders even in the case of asylum applications.” Can that work?
I hardly suppose. Where is the lever in order that the neighbors don’t merely reject again to Germany, however to a different neighboring nation? I’ve skilled this usually sufficient, for instance with Belgium. We referred to as it border pingpong. In the tip, the migrants all the time landed with us.

Before his election, Friedrich Merz referred to as for a everlasting management of the borders to all neighboring international locations. How possible is that?
I wish to ask Mr. Merz myself, at 3800 kilometers of inside borders. We have a bit of over 45,000 workers within the police enforcement service with the federal police. Even in the event that they have been used across the clock on the border, they may not utterly monitor them. This is unattainable within the Schengen space. Temporary controls and veil investigations make sense as a result of they present the place the migration strain is biggest. But you can not stop unlawful journeys completely.

Can unlawful migration be contained nationally in any respect?
I’d say: no. As lengthy as we dig round nationwide options, nothing will change. The massive European resolution is required. But there is no such thing as a election marketing campaign with that.

What do you count on from the subsequent authorities?
That she is trustworthy, which you can’t get any additional with nationwide options. The migration coverage of the previous 15 years has failed. The numbers that talk for themselves. But when you admit it, it’s interpreted as a weak spot. An actual European border safety may be carried out, solely political will is lacking.

Do you suppose there shall be an asylum seeker?
I’m not a political analyst. My worry is that the Union has been pokered up and one thing was promised that’s not to be stopped. This will proceed to contribute to the erosion of the political heart. Disappointed voters all the time drives it to the perimeters.

Your ebook has the ambiguous title “on the border”. Were you additionally emotionally on the border?
Often and more and more. I’ve grow to be thinner over time, extra irritable. Because my id as a police officer was a part of my persona and I could not simply take it out after work like my uniform.

Was that the rationale why they obtained out?
It was a mix. In the occasion of a mission overseas within the Middle East, I met my present companion, who comes from Israel. It is certain to land privately. In addition, frustration came to visit what goes improper with us. I now not wished to work in operational border safety. However, my alienation by no means utilized to the federal police. I used to be proud to put on the uniform.