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This is how deputies react to the AfD’s “matchstick” statement on Moria
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Parliamentarians react in horror to AfD’s “match” statement on Moria
In a current hour, the citizens of Hamburg debate the fire in Moria. With the exception of the AfD, parliamentary groups defend their willingness to accept refugees from Greece. When the AfD declared the “matchbox as the new entry visa,” they reacted clearly.
When the AfD declared the “matchbox as the new entry visa” during a debate in Hamburg citizenship after the fire in the Moria refugee camp, the reactions from all other parties were clear.
VUnited against the right-wing populist AfD, all parliamentary groups of the Hamburg citizens have defended their willingness to accept refugees from Greece in the Hanseatic city. Admitting 500 refugees is not a wrong signal, “but that is the only signal that can be sent in such a situation, that is, a signal of humanity and decency,” Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD) said on Wednesday in a current time on the devastating fire in the Moria refugee camp.
Of course, Hamburg is ready to make its contribution, Grote stressed. The AfD had announced the current time under the heading “Moria: the old parties give the wrong signal for migrants and smugglers!” The leader of his parliamentary group, Dirk Nockemann, pointed out that after the fire in the Moria refugee camp, the Greek government asked not to comply with the refugees’ demand for a distribution to continental Europe.
Hamburg Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD) during his speech at the Hamburg Parliament meeting on the reception of refugees from the island of Lesbos
Source: dpa / Daniel Bockwoldt
“The whole world (…) adheres to the requests of the Greek government, only in Germany (…) the green left crowd seizes the opportunity and of course demands the admission of all who are there,” said Nockemann . Germany will be ready again and will want to help “if only a few arsonists are found to set fire to their own lodgings.” AfD MP Krzysztof Walczak said the matchbox would become the new entry visa.
In all parliamentary groups, the SPD, the Greens, the CDU and the Left rejected the AfD’s statements as inhumane. “That is beyond my imagination: how can someone have such a cold heart that it bothers me personally,” said SPD refugee expert Kazim Abaci. His colleague from the CDU, Andreas Grutzck, commented in the direction of the AfD: “Feel ashamed of yourself.” The left wing’s refugee policy spokeswoman, Carola Ensslen, said: “Her coldness towards people in need is simply regrettable.” Green MP Maryam Blumenthal, on the other hand, just said, “I’m not mad at you, I’m sorry for you.”
The federal government agreed on Tuesday to accept an additional 1,553 refugees from five Greek islands. There are 408 families with children who have been recognized as vulnerable in Greece. Previously, last week’s fires had destroyed the Moria refugee camp, leaving more than 12,000 people homeless.
They are already recognized with the right to asylum, said the interior senator. No one has to be afraid that “something will get out of control here, even if one or the other likes it a lot.” At the same time, he welcomed plans to build new accommodation on the island of Lesbos and secured the Moria refugees in Greece. “Everything that is needed comes from Hamburg to Greece.”
“And above all, we do not want European partners to sit back and relax.”
Left-wing MP Ensslen accused Grote of disguising himself. “According to the Königsteiner code, about 40 refugees would arrive here.” Even if Hamburg went further, it would never be 500. From the perspective of the left, Hamburg should host 1,000 refugees. However, Hamburg could only establish a binding figure beyond federal distribution with a state admission program, Ensslen said. But the SPD rejects it. Furthermore, the refugees expected to arrive in Germany did not come from the Moria camp, but from elsewhere.
CDU refugee expert Grutzck urged restraint. Of course, it is not easy to resist the reflex to immediately welcome everyone, “because that would be the easiest, the most sensible, the fastest thing that I can help these people.” Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) rightly waited and gave a signal promising to host another 1,500 refugees.
Now the European partners have to react, Grutzeck said. Merkel kept the balance between humanity and aid on the one hand and pressure on other countries on the other. That is smart and sensible, because “we don’t want us to have the situation of 2015 again,” said the CDU politician. “And above all, we don’t want the European partners to sit back and relax.”
