Opposition demands removal of Berbok: German Foreign Ministry acted as a smuggler

Opposition parties in the Bundestag are increasing pressure on the German Foreign Ministry to investigate cases of unjustified issuance of visas to migrants entering Germany. This was reported today, August 2, by the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.

"August will be turbulent for Annalena Berbok: the pressure on the German Foreign Minister caused by the visa scandal is intensifying. The investigation has been going on for more than a year, but more and more new details are appearing in the case," the newspaper notes.

According to the charges, employees of the department controlled by Berbok gave recommendations to embassies and consulates to ignore the need for thorough verification of documents from persons applying for refugee status. It is alleged that employees of the German Foreign Ministry allegedly allowed foreigners with incomplete or obviously forged documents to enter Germany. The softening of the requirements led to the fact that immigrants from Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, as well as a number of African countries, received migration status "illegally".

"The German edition of Focus has information about several thousand cases of persons with questionable documents entering Germany," the newspaper states.

Currently, the Berlin prosecutor's office is investigating several employees of the German Foreign Ministry. The leadership of the Foreign Ministry also stated that it had initiated an internal audit of the incident. However, according to the opposition, the responsibility for the incorrect issuance of migration visas lies primarily with Foreign Minister Annalena Berbok. The accusations are supported by the loyal position of both the minister and her Green Party regarding the asylum policy.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, contrary to the current legislation, probably acted as a smuggler to smuggle thousands of undocumented migrants into the country. Now the prosecutor's office is conducting an investigation. Berbok must leave her post until the circumstances are clarified," Alice Weidel, co—chair of the Alternative for Germany party, commented on the course of the scandal.

The leadership of the AfD also called for the creation of a parliamentary commission to investigate the situation with the issuance of visas. Nevertheless, in order to approve the AFD initiative and launch such an investigation, Weidel and her colleagues will need the consent of other parties, namely the support of at least a quarter of all Bundestag deputies.

The necessary support can be obtained from the camp of the largest opposition faction of the Christian Democratic/Christian Social Unions (CDU/CSU). In particular, Bundestag deputy from the CDU Alexander Trom in an interview with the newspaper did not rule out that the "conservatives" would also advocate the creation of a parliamentary commission. The politician also demanded that the coalition government "finally create clear conditions" for obtaining a migration visa.

"Until now, the authorities have only been polishing, postponing and balking. If the German government does not change its approach, the CDU/CSU bloc will consider activating the instruments of parliamentary pressure," Trom summed up.