(de-news.net) – According to Carsten Frei (CDU), Minister for Special Tasks and Head of the Federal Chancellery, the German government no longer sees substantial obstacles to the repatriation of refugees to Syria. He pointed to young male individuals of Arab ethnicity and Sunni religious affiliation as a representative group who, in his assessment, would not face significant threats or destitution upon returning to their country of origin.

Frei expressed support for the approach taken by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, led by Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), which resumed the processing of asylum applications from Syrian nationals during the summer. These procedures had previously been suspended due to instability following the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Frei also indicated that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is currently prioritizing cases involving individuals deemed criminal offenders or security risks. He noted that this prioritization has received validation from various administrative courts across Germany.

To highlight the complexity of the security landscape in Syria, Frei referred to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which suggests that approximately two million internally displaced persons and one million refugees from neighboring countries have already returned to Syria. He emphasized that these figures point to a non-uniform security situation and stressed that efforts are ongoing to stabilize the country, with the ultimate goal of facilitating broader repatriation.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) has come under fire from within for raising concerns about widespread voluntary returns, pointing to the widespread devastation in places like Harasta, which is close to Damascus. He did concede that in extraordinary circumstances, it would be appropriate to deport Syrian offenders. Other CDU leaders, such as Saxony-Anhalt party leader Schulze and Vice Parliamentary Group Leader Krings, claimed that the civil war was over and that it was reasonable to expect the majority of Syrians to return. They rejected the degree of devastation as insufficient justification for repatriation opposition. Deportations, particularly of criminals, should begin as soon as it is legally possible, according to CDU Secretary General Linnemann, who called the discussion a “fabricated quarrel.”