In 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "We can do it." Today, the right to asylum has almost been abolished in the EU. How could this happen? And why could the political left not prevent this development? I talked about this with the Krautreporters, and you can read the full interview here.
NDR Podcast: The plight of the fled
Whether in Bosnia or Greece, the refugee camps often lack the most basic necessities. In the NDR talk time I talk about how refugees and migrants have to live in deliberately miserable conditions. You can listen to the podcast here.
Newsletter: What was important last month
20/01 January in the European Parliament Herewith you get my monthly review, with the following categories: "News from the Borders" gives you an update on the situation at the external borders, "Asylum and Migration in the Parliament" gives you an insight into what's happening in my main topic in the Parliament, and "What else is important" takes a look at other …
The current situation in the Greek islands is as follows
At the moment, just over 16,000 people are stranded on the Greek islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros. Here is a brief overview of the current situation on the three largest Aegean islands Lesbos, Samos and Chios. All figures come from the official statistics of the Greek Ministry of Migration, which you can view here. Lesvos occupancy: …
How it came to pass that thousands of protection seekers in Bosnia have to freeze
In Lipa, hundreds of people are currently seeking shelter and are freezing. The Bosnian armed forces have put up at least a few winter tents in the past few days, but they are nowhere near enough for all the people. It is expected to take at least three more months before the camp is ready. As it stands at the moment, people will be freezing until then. The …
Interview Die ZEIT: The plight of Greek refugee camps
I have been to the Greek mass camps many times in recent years. In an interview with DIE ZEIT, I talk about why the misery there, as well as the failure of the authorities, is politically deliberate. You can read the interview here.
What is the European Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF)?
— English version below — The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) is the EU's main financial instrument to support the implementation of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), refugee integration, return and resettlement and humanitarian reception. The fund for the 2021-2027 EU budget has long been under negotiation between co-legislators. Last week, the …
FR: Moria 2 is a slum despite EU promises
In September 2020 the EU Commission announced that there should be no more "slum camps" like Moria on the territory of the European Union. Some three months later, little remains of this promise; rather, Moria continues to sink into misery. The Frankfurter Rundschau reports on my criticism of the ongoing crisis.
The strategy of the German Council Presidency has failed
Press release on the EU interior ministers' meeting on asylum on 14 December 2020 At today's EU interior ministers' meeting, the European interior ministers will discuss, among other things, the proposal for a European migration and asylum pact. My comment: "The German Presidency's strategy has failed. It wanted to force a European solution by demanding that the suffering at the external borders be dealt with only by a European consensus;
20 questions and answers about flight
I receive many inquiries from citizens about my work and my topics of flight and migration. Most of them are guided by honest interest and I am also very happy to answer them. Unfortunately, there is also a loud minority that repeatedly tries to impose its racist and right-wing populist worldview on others. Of course, we must not allow that to happen. …