I wrote a book about asylum policy. A conversation about pull factors, the line between activism and politics, and what he would bet a case of beer on. You can read the interview here.
We call on the Commission to finally take action against Croatia's violent pushbacks
Recently, a shocking research was published by ARD, Lighthouse Reports, SRF, Spiegel and Novosti. This broad pan-European network of journalists published new reports of pushbacks by Croatian border officials, in six cases specifically documented with videos. Entire families and vulnerable people are being pushed back across the EU border. In one case it is …
Open letter to Heiko Maas on deportations to Afghanistan
The Taliban are conquering more and more territory, people are fleeing and the Afghan Government asked for a ban on deportations. I have taken all these events as an opportunity to write a letter to Heiko Maas. I ask him to reassess the current security situation in the situation report independently of any domestic political motives and in accordance with the new findings and developments …
EU Parliament adopts migration fund: almost €10 billion for asylum, migration and integration
The €9.88 billion Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) for 2021-2027 aims to strengthen the common European asylum policy. We have achieved that funds can be applied for directly by regional and local authorities, so that EU states can no longer so easily prevent funding for committed cities and regions. As asylum spokesperson for the Greens/EFA in the European …
Talk without guest: With Erik Marquardt as guest
In this episode Moritz Neumeier and Till Reiners invited me as a guest in their podcast „Talk ohne Gast“. I still don't quite understand the principle, but I was very happy about the relaxed conversation, in which you also learn why I once drove through Bavaria dressed as a giant joint. The video …
A chronology of civilian rescue at sea
Tens of thousands of people drowned while fleeing in the Mediterranean. Instead of rescuing people, civilian sea rescuers are increasingly blocked and criminalized. Here I have written a chronicle of the civilian sea rescue of the past years. Background Silvio Berlusconi and Muammar al-Gaddafi signed a friendship treaty in 2008, in which Berlusconi apologized on behalf of Italy for colonial crimes and Gaddafi committed himself to …
Question: Readmissions between Turkey and Greece
Greece rejects asylum applications from people seeking protection and issues exit orders to Turkey. However, Turkey has not allowed any readmissions for over a year now – people have to leave, but cannot. This leads to a situation „of perpetual refugees“ living in miserable conditions in Greece because they no longer receive benefits. I …
History of European asylum policy since 1997
Over the past two decades, we have unfortunately come little closer to a humane and progressive asylum policy. Below you will find an overview of the Amsterdam Treaty, the Lisbon Treaty and the current Commission proposal for a Common European Asylum System (CEAS), on which the Commission, Council and Parliament are currently working. The Amsterdam Treaty will be signed in 1997 …
Question: Situation of persons seeking protection on the Greek islands
On 12 March, I sent the Commission a question to find out what specific plans were being made to improve the situation on the Greek islands. The answer states that the accommodation has improved since the fire in Moria. However, even eight months after the fire, the residents do not notice much of this. The …
Letter to the Commission: Lead exposure in the new Moria
Since the new Mavrovouni (Kara Tepe) camp on Lesvos opened in September 2020, there have always been serious concerns about lead contamination in the former military area, in addition to all the other disastrous living conditions. Over 6,000 people live on land that has been proven to be contaminated with lead, putting pregnant women and children playing in particular at risk. Together with many other MEPs …