Germany's Interior Ministry Plans to Deport Refugees to Greece

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Germany has announced plans to resume the deportation of certain refugees to Greece. This decision comes from a directive issued by Interior Secretary Bernd Krösser, targeting primarily young, single, healthy, and employable men. Vulnerable groups, including families, women, children, and those with health issues or elderly men, will be exempt from these deportations.

A significant factor influencing this policy shift was a ruling from the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, which determined on April 16 that non-vulnerable migrants returning to Greece do not face degrading or inhumane living conditions. This ruling dismissed claims made by individuals from Gaza and Somalia, setting a precedent that allows for the rejection of asylum applications beyond these individual cases.

However, the German government's implementation of these plans is likely to encounter resistance from Greece. The Greek government has made it clear that it is not currently prepared to accept an influx of refugees being sent back from Germany. Migration Minister Makis Voridis emphasized that Greece will not agree to increased deportations unless there is a fair distribution of responsibilities across the European Union. Voridis stated that while requests from Germany will be reviewed, Greece will not be particularly receptive to them.

Despite this, the German Interior Ministry appears undeterred. They expect that the federal states will increase efforts to facilitate deportations to Greece. Initially, refugees will be urged to return to Greece voluntarily, with authorities ready to cover associated costs in specific cases. If voluntary returns do not occur, state authorities are directed to enforce deportations.

To streamline these deportations, affected individuals are to remain in initial reception centers throughout the states. Greece is recognized as a crucial transit point for refugees heading to Germany, where many are initially registered before continuing their journey. In the previous year, Germany made 75,000 requests to EU nations for the return of migrants, with approximately 15,000 of these cases involving individuals who had entered Germany through Greece. However, only 22 of these return requests were actually executed.

The German government anticipates that the new practices will lead to a noticeable increase in the number of deportations to Greece. As the numbers of individuals obligated to leave Germany rise, the Interior Ministry plans to engage with Greek authorities to establish a robust return mechanism.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has already communicated this expectation to his Greek counterpart during a recent meeting in Berlin, emphasizing the need to reduce secondary migration from Greece to Germany and increase deportations.

In addition to these measures, the Interior Ministry has indicated that it will apply pressure on asylum seekers to leave Germany voluntarily. States have been informed that there may be performance-related consequences for those who do not comply with return requests, which could include the reduction or complete withdrawal of benefits. Moving forward, limited transitional benefits will only be provided for a maximum of two weeks, with extensions available only in exceptional cases.

Currently, asylum applications in Germany are on the decline, with 230,000 initial requests filed last year. The government's focus on return policies reflects ongoing challenges in managing migration and ensuring compliance with asylum regulations.