The Free Democrats intend to reform the legislation on granting German citizenship
According to FDP representatives, foreigners who demonstrate a sufficient level of integration into German society, have a job, are fluent in the language, and have not been found to violate German law, can receive an «ausweis» twice as fast as current deadlines. This provision is enshrined in a draft law prepared by the FDP faction in the Bundestag.
"The possibility of accelerated granting of citizenship is a sign of the country's openness, an important signal to all immigrants," Bundestag deputy Hartfrid Wolff told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. He coordinates domestic policy issues in the parliamentary faction of the FDP.
In turn, FDP representative Serkan Tören, an expert on integration policy, incidentally a native of Turkey, emphasized the need to expand the practice of granting dual citizenship. "For many immigrants, giving up the citizenship of their home country is a difficult decision," the politician said last Tuesday. According to Tören, the exclusive right of EU citizens to dual citizenship violates the rights of most foreigners.
It is clear that the issue of retaining citizenship of one's former homeland is one of the most painful issues for people from the CIS countries. And this is not just about visa-free access to the country where people were born, but also about issues such as retaining pensions earned outside Germany.
The FDP's proposal has already been positively received by many leading politicians in the country, including among the opposition. It is expected that discussion of the draft law will begin before the end of the year.
Vladimir GUSHCHIN.
