Angela Merkel criticizes German government policy. It's about migrants

- If someone says "asylum" at the German border, they must first receive an asylum procedure. It can be directly at the border, but still a procedure - said Angela Merkel. The former chancellor opposed the current policy of the German government.

Angela Merkel criticized Germany's migration policy on WDR. In the interview, she opposed the policy proposed by the right-wing Alternative for Germany .

"I can't always just talk about the AfD and adopt their agenda. We also have to take into account the agenda of all those who say: Yes, we have to reduce illegal migration , but we also have to continue to uphold our values ," she said.

The Berlin Administrative Court recently ruled on the case of three Somalis who entered Germany by train from Poland. The court ruled that it was illegal to turn them back at the checkpoint at the first station after crossing the border. However, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt ruled that the court's decision referred to an individual case and that Germany would continue to turn migrants back at the border.

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This position of the authorities in Berlin was confirmed by Thorsten Frei , head of the Chancellery. In an interview with ARD, he pointed to the provisions of the constitution and asylum regulations. - If someone has already received asylum somewhere in Europe, if someone has come to us through safe countries in Europe, then of course we are not dealing with someone who is fleeing, but with people who are coming from safe countries - he emphasized.

Frei also referred to Merkel's statement from 2015, when she spoke about opening the borders during the refugee crisis . She stated then "we can do it". - When the head of government says "we can do it", it is the right attitude. Because you can expect the government not to bury its head in the sand, but to address the challenges - he commented.

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- But of course times have changed. In 2019, so still under Angela Merkel's government, we developed a large migration package, which also included a law aimed at improving the return policy. It is therefore absolutely clear that we must do more to regulate, control and, above all, limit migration - added the head of the Chancellery.