Merkel rebukes Kurz for Moria refugees – Germany –

First the largest newspaper in the country with the “Bild” (see annex) and now also the German Chancellor. Germany is attacking Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz these days. According to a new press report from “Bild”, the Chancellor of Germany criticized the Chancellor and the Austrian government with these words: Austria’s role in European refugee policy is not “good”: you cannot request a financial discount (in the EU membership fee) and take advantage of the distribution at the same time I want to keep out of the refugees.

Meanwhile, the ÖVP and the Greens rejected requests from the SPÖ and NEOS to accept refugee children from the burning Greek camp of Moria at a special meeting at the National Council on Monday. The Greens, therefore, in order not to endanger the peace of the coalition with the ÖVP.

The club’s boss, Sigrid Maurer, had already made clear on Sunday that she would be in favor of accepting refugees from the burned-out camp on the island of Lesbos, but that she would not yet vote with the opposition. “If we vote for him, we will break the coalition,” Maurer said. And the ÖVP sent “unequivocal signals” that they wanted to vote with the FPÖ in such a case.

In the run-up to the meeting, the Freedom Party announced a motion for a resolution calling on Chancellor Kurz to “guarantee at the national level that Moria migrants are not accepted.” Furthermore, Kurz should also refuse admission at the EU level.

Austria wants to ensure decent care at the local level. In addition, the country took in 3,700 children this year, Kurz said.

The chairman of the state party Vorarlberg ÖVP, Governor Markus Wallner, believes that the federal government’s decision to provide local aid is correct. “For a small country like Austria, this is an essential contribution to sustainably improve the local situation,” Wallner told the APA.

Health Councilor Martina Rüscher (ÖVP, 48) spoke on Sunday in the VN.at electoral study for the admission of unaccompanied refugee minors: “Personally, of course, I would be willing to accept unaccompanied minors. Vorarlberg is well prepared, ”said Rüscher, who also worked as a regional coordinator for refugees and asylum. “We are all human, and being human means that we help together, be it during Corona or in times of the refugee situation.”

Ten European countries have agreed to accept a total of 400 unaccompanied minors.

At the request of Greece, Germany agreed to accept 100 to 150 unaccompanied minors from Moria. However, the SPD demands a commitment from the Union to bring several thousand people to Germany.

Regarding European action, Kurz said: “What is not needed is symbolic politics, but much more what is needed real and sustainable financial support for the affected areas, an economic perspective for the African continent and effective protection of our external borders “.

The EU Commission has yet to make a decision on its involvement in the management of a new refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. The authority is open to joint management, a commission spokesman said on Monday. “The idea will be discussed further.”

Austria supports the plan for the new camp to be run not only by the Greek authorities but also jointly with the European Commission, according to a statement from the APA Federal Chancellery. Although the ÖVP does not want to be involved in hosting refugees from Moria, the government promised immediate aid for Greece over the weekend.

According to information from the Federal Chancellery, Austria wants to help this week with accommodation for 2,000 refugees, hygiene kits and sanitary facilities. In addition, a doctor and ten army paramedics are available. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Nea Dimokratia (ND), a sister party of the Turks, thanked Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) by telephone on Monday, as announced by the Federal Chancellery to the APA.

Meanwhile, the “Bild” newspaper reported on Monday that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was campaigning for the EU itself to establish and operate a new refugee camp on Lesbos.

We can do it! “It was exactly five years ago that this ruling by German Chancellor Angela Merkel became famous. It is still famous today. In the summer of five years, Europe, including Austria and Tyrol, became the target of a movement. Refugees of unimaginable proportions How did we do it then Five years later we look back.