BERLIN, Aug. 2 — Germany’s Bavaria state is doubling down on deportations, with Premier Markus Soder stating that foreign criminals, including those from Afghanistan and Syria, face swifter removal.
## Bavaria’s Hard Stance on Foreign Criminals
Germany is tightening its migration policy, signaling tougher consequences for foreign nationals convicted of crimes.
- Bavaria’s Premier Markus Soder calls for decisive deportation of foreign criminals.
- The policy targets individuals from Afghanistan and Syria, among others.
- Germany recently deported 81 Afghans to Kabul on July 17.
- Afghan officials have appointed new diplomats to Germany to aid citizens.
- A passport issuance center in Bonn is set to reopen for Afghan nationals.
Bavarian Premier Markus Soder has reiterated his state’s commitment to a stricter immigration policy. “Law and order prevail in Bavaria,” Soder declared, emphasizing that criminals and human traffickers will be arrested and deported more rapidly than in other German states. “Overall, we have brought a shift in migration policy. The principle is: more people should be deported, and fewer should be accepted.”
Soder’s remarks align with a broader concern among Afghan nationals in Germany, who feel the federal government is intensifying its stance. This includes granting more authority to state governments in handling deportations of individuals deemed criminal offenders under German law.
Political analyst Najib Rahman Shamal commented on the situation, noting that “Germany has recently imposed stricter restrictions on refugees involved in criminal activities. These countries have reinforced their borders and imposed severe limitations.”
Refugee rights activist Alireza Karimi described Soder’s statements as indicative of harsh treatment. “Insisting on the deportation of Syrian and Afghan refugees indicates a significant legal shift in German state policy,” Karimi said.
This renewed push for deportations follows Germany’s action on July 17, when 81 Afghans were deported to Kabul. This marked the second such deportation in the current solar year.
In response to these developments, Afghanistan’s caretaker government has appointed two diplomats, Nebras-ul-Haq Aziz and Mostafa Hashimi, to its embassy in Germany, according to a reliable source. While the Acting Foreign Minister has not officially named them, he confirmed the diplomats’ dispatch to provide consular services to Afghan nationals.
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stated, “We will have future talks and negotiations with Germany and, God willing, further progress. We also thank Qatar for its mediation.” He lauded Qatar’s role in facilitating an understanding that allowed the diplomats to travel to Germany.
Meanwhile, the Director of Consular Services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the upcoming reactivation of the passport issuance center in Bonn, Germany. This center has been suspended for four years. Shoib Baryalai, the director, explained, “We have a passport printing office in Bonn that has been inactive for nearly four years. God willing, passports will be issued there for all of Europe, and this will help address the problems of Afghans living in those countries.”
Although the German government maintains that its interactions with the caretaker government are technical and unofficial, some political analysts see these appointments and reactivations as a subtle shift in Germany’s approach. “In the past, there were calls for direct engagement,” Shamal observed. “Now, with the arrival of the new government, Germany also seeks direct contact with the caretaker administration, including for the deportation of refugees.”
Nebras-ul-Haq Aziz previously worked at the Islamic Emirate’s political office in Qatar, while Mostafa Hashimi served in the Consular Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These appointments come after Germany’s Interior Minister had previously sought direct dialogue with the caretaker government, bypassing third-party mediation.
