Unexpected, generally speaking, was the strong resistance of Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries, shown in response to Wolfgang Schäuble's virtually ready bill. The grand dame, usually modest at the federal level and mostly interested in juvenile crime issues, accused her colleague from the Interior Ministry of nothing less than an attempt to violate the country's Basic Law. Thus, according to the Justice Ministry's 39-page statement, Schäuble's requirements for compulsory knowledge of German for those seeking family reunification with foreigners already living in Germany are 'contrary to the constitutional right to found a family and marriage.' 'In many corners of the world – especially for people living on the edge of survival, it is financially impossible to attend preparatory courses,' asserts Brigitte Zypries (referring to applicants from the former Yugoslavia, the CIS countries, and Afghanistan), who is categorically opposed to 'unjustified delays for the reunification of spouses for the purpose of living together.' Brigitte Zypries also disagrees with the idea of granting a residence permit to 'successfully integrated' (that is, having good school performance and thus ready for employment) foreigners over 14 years of age whose parents are subject to deportation. On these issues, the Social Democratic minister is ready to receive full support from the Bundestag deputies of the Left Party-PDS. 'What compromise can be discussed if the federal authorities 'generously' allow 14-17-year-old teenagers to stay in Germany while deporting their parents and younger siblings?' fumes the party's internal policy spokeswoman Ulla Jelpke. 'Is the breakup of families the key to a successful immigration policy?'
Brigitte Zypries also speaks out against the financial penalties proposed by the Interior Ministry for 'new immigrants who avoid attending integration courses.' 'This is a very bad idea,' she says. 'After all, by "new" we also mean those who have been living in Germany for more than 2.5 years – and they are sufficiently integrated socially and culturally to have the right to a minimum subsistence level, the amount of which is no less than unemployment benefits ALG-2.' Here, the Greens (once active, now preferring to stay in the shadows) quietly agree with her: in their official press release, party chairwoman Claudia Roth reminds of Wolfgang Schäuble's 'forgetfulness of the truths of cultural, economic and demographic' development of Germany, who in his projects 'revives the worst aspects of "guest work": as long as there is building to be done, let them build; but if they have built and still haven't learned the language, out of the country.'
'Only the confrontation between ministries is preventing the adoption of amendments to the Law on the Regulation of Migration, which are virtually ready and agreed upon by parliamentary factions and could be approved before the Easter break and come into force by July 1,' laments Wolfgang Bosbach, vice-chairman of the CDU/CSU faction in the Bundestag. And yet how many good things are written in the Interior Ministry's plan, which rests, so to speak, on 'three pillars': the inviolability of the political asylum system developed by the conference of interior ministers in November, facilitation of entry for highly qualified personnel from abroad, and a strict barrier against the infiltration of irresponsible foreigners into social welfare programs. Extension of visas, for example, for those with Duldung status, after 2.5 years of residence in Germany provided they have been continuously employed for the last 9 months or half the time remaining until December 2009. 'Financial and legal support' for 'integrated' teenagers. A 'transition period' for adults 'making active efforts to find employment.' Reduction of the minimum salary for applicants for residence permits from 'third' countries to €5,300 per month instead of the current €7,100...
On the last issue, it has not yet been possible to persuade Labor Minister Franz Müntefering. But here, according to Lower Saxony Interior Minister Uwe Schünemann, 'the states will decide everything themselves and will not allow conditions to be dictated from the center, and any attempt at pressure from the federation will crash against the Bundesrat barrier.' After all, are these the sums worth breaking lances over for state and federal politicians? Five or seven thousand euros – does any immigrant earn that much?
According to the decision of the Conference of Interior Ministers of November 2006, the issue of the legal status of 186,000 foreign refugees with Duldung status is regulated as follows: refugees who have been in the country for 6 years (families) or 8 (single) receive a two-year residence permit if they have a permanent job. Those not working are obliged to find one by the end of September of the current year. According to the Law on the Regulation and Limitation of Migration, a foreigner can only count on a job if no native resident or person from EU countries applies for it. Exceptions are provided for single mothers with young children and persons over 65 years of age in need of medical care.
Elena Obodovskaya.
Russkaya Germaniya