Germany to end protection status for Syrians – minister

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has presented a plan regarding refugees as situation in Syria changed

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has announced a reassessment of the protection status for Syrian refugees in Germany, citing improved conditions in the war-torn country.

In an interview for the Funke media group on Sunday, Faeser suggested that some Syrians who have sought refuge in Germany may have to return to their country under certain conditions.

The recommendations come almost a month after the fall of President Bashar Assad, who left the country after militant groups led by Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists launched a surprise offensive against government forces. The attack resulted in the collapse of the Syrian military in a matter of days and the downfall of the government.

Faeser outlined a threefold approach: well-integrated refugees contributing to society may remain, those wishing to return will receive support, and criminal offenders or extremists will face deportation as legal frameworks permit.

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“As our law stipulates, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will review and revoke protection grants if people no longer need this protection in Germany because the situation in Syria has stabilized,” she was quoted by Der Spiegel as saying.

The minister also added that the plan provides for the deprivation of the status of protected persons from those who have no other grounds for residing in Germany. However, those with residency for work or education purposes would be exempt.

Faeser suggested that Syrians who want to return should be supported, while criminals and Islamists should be deported as quickly as possible. 

“We have greatly expanded the legal options for this and will use them as soon as the situation in Syria allows,” she added.

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Almost a third of the approximately 975,000 refugees living in Germany have subsidiary protection status, Der Spiegel wrote, which means they are allowed to stay in Germany because of the civil war and until the situation in their homeland is deemed safe.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to Damascus on Friday to “discuss whether such an inclusive political process is possible and whether human rights can truly be guaranteed.”