German court rules turning away asylum seekers to Poland unlawful
A Berlin court ruled Monday that Germany had no right to return migrants to Poland without first determining which EU member state is responsible for processing their asylum claims.
The Berlin Administrative Court's ruling concerned a complaint filed by three Somalis, who were expelled after attempting to cross the German border from Poland in Frankfurt an der Oder.
The situation unfolded on May 9, three days after Alexander Dobrindt was appointed Germany's Federal Minister of the Interior, pledging to take a grip on migration and implementing practices that would turn away migrants seeking refuge in his country. After assuming the office, the politician actively tightened border checks and instructed the police to refuse entry to asylum-seekers.
Dobrindt defended his stance, announcing he would file a request to launch a "general proceeding," which he believes will validate his policy.
"There is no reason to change our practice based on a single court ruling on an isolated case," the interior minister told German media on Monday.
The Somali nationals, two men and a woman arrived in Germany taking a train from Poland. They were turned back during passport checks at the Frankfurt an der Oder railway station, with authorities claiming they had entered from a safe third country.
Under the Dublin Regulation, to which Germany is a signatory, EU states must determine which EU member is responsible for reviewing migrants' asylum requests.
Berlin's new tightened migration policy marks a sharp turn from its stance during the 2015 migrant crisis, when the country, ruled by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, welcomed over one million asylum seekers. (PAP)
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