Germany should continue to respect the right to asylum, but must take steps to limit irregular migration, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Saturday at a memorial service for the victims of last week’s attack in Solingen.
“With good reason, Germany offered refuge and security to those fleeing war and oppression, just as many German residents managed to survive the Nazi regime because other countries opened their doors to them,” said Steinmeier.
“We want to remain that country – and we can only do that if we are not overwhelmed by the number of those who come without the right to that special protection,” Steinmeier said.
A Syrian man (26) who lived in a nearby accommodation for refugees was arrested after a deadly knife attack at a public celebration in Solingen, in which three people died and eight others were wounded.
The man is in custody on suspicion of murder and membership in the so-called militant organization. Islamic State (IS). Although IS has claimed responsibility for the attack, German authorities are still investigating the claim, reports DPA.
The suspected attacker is believed to have avoided deportation from Germany, fueling further debate over the country’s asylum and migration policies.
“And we will remain that country only if those seeking protection adhere to the laws of our country. Only then will we be able to maintain acceptance among the population,” said Steinmeier.
He called for cooperation between the government and the opposition to tackle the “enormous task” of enforcing immigration laws and creating workable rules for processing immigration and asylum applications.
Steinmeier said the bloodshed struck at the heart of a “friendly, open and diverse country”.
He pointed out that Germany had failed to keep its promise of safety and security at Solingen, and that it must comprehensively address any mistakes or shortcomings that failed to prevent the attack.
He accused “fanatical Islamists who want to destroy what we love,” including an open society.
Although he accepted that people “feel fear and insecurity”, he emphasized that citizens should not allow fear to paralyze them, reports DPA.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was also at the commemoration, wrote in a post on the X social network that the crime “hits our heart, makes us furious.”
“We owe it to the victims and their families that this should be a good lesson for us. We mourn those who died in Solingen. We mourn with their families, with everyone in this city, with everyone in Germany,” he added.
Olaf Scholz’s government has proposed stricter rules on weapons, tighter restrictions on benefits for some asylum seekers and more powers for police to deal with possible Islamist threats, RSE writes.
E.Dz.
