(de-news.net) – Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has received support from the Union parliamentary group for his proposal to resume deportations to Syria, having argued that the civil war in Syria had ended and that return was now feasible and reasonable for most Syrians who had left the country. Parliamentary State Secretary Günter Krings emphasized that reconstruction in Syria should be the responsibility of Syrian nationals. The Union parties are said to advocate for encouraging voluntary return of Syrians lacking permanent residency and dependent on social welfare, while prioritizing the deportation of those classed as criminals and individuals obliged to leave, in coordination with the Syrian authorities.
Despite Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) reportedly expressing concern over Syria’s post-war devastation and doubting the viability of early returns. Conversely, Dobrindt insisted on continuing negotiations with the Syrian government regarding deportations. The SPD acknowledged the coalition agreement’s provision for repatriating offenders and threats to public safety but emphasized that such measures must be contingent upon the actual conditions in Syria. According to SPD deputy parliamentary leader Sonja Eichwede, Wadephul had assessed the situation during a recent visit and found the destruction extensive.
The Green Party reportedly endorsed Wadephul’s assessment and criticized Dobrindt for engaging in symbolic politics rather than addressing core security issues. Marcel Emmerich, the Greens’ spokesperson on domestic policy, urged the minister to focus on strengthening Germany’s resilience to hybrid threats. In turn, the Left Party called for a complete halt to deportations to Syria, citing the absence of safe and humane living conditions. Its foreign policy spokesperson, Cansu Özdemir, reportedly condemned the CSU’s stance, referencing findings by the Bundestag’s Scientific Services that implicated Syrian state actors in mass atrocities. Özdemir is said to have warned against normalizing relations with the Syrian authorities.
In a separate development, Berlin police arrested a Syrian national suspected of planning a terrorist attack. According to media reports, special forces detained the 22-year-old in Neukölln, where materials for constructing explosive devices were allegedly discovered. The suspect, who reportedly had three Berlin addresses, was charged with preparing a serious crime endangering the state. Prosecutors indicated that the planned attack was jihadist in nature and that the individual had shared Islamic State propaganda on social media. The arrest operation involved searches at multiple locations, and the suspect was expected to appear before a magistrate.
