The first to distinguish himself was the 72-year-old never-fading veteran Otto Schily. After another Brussels meeting of EU interior ministers, he proposed creating a camp to receive African refugees planning to move to Europe, in Africa itself. Like, somewhere on the edge of the Sahara, one should choose a convenient spot and gather all potential asylum seekers behind barbed wire. This concentration camp could be given a quite beautiful name, according to the politician. For example, the African branch of the European Office for Foreigners. German officials would be sent from Germany to the Sahara on official business trips, and they would decide on the spot whether to let an African into Europe or turn them away.
Schily's proposal shocked not only the Green partners of the Social Democrats in the ruling coalition. Even such a conservative politician as Wolfgang Schäuble twirled his finger at his temple. According to one of the CDU leaders, such a solution to the refugee problem contradicts the fundamental provisions of the Geneva Convention and international law on political asylum.
However, sharp criticism from all sides did not stop Schily. He suggested that his opponents, first of all from the conservative camp, turn for expert advice to Günther Beckstein, the Bavarian interior minister. Beckstein, a fierce opponent of any foreign presence in his state, immediately said thoughtfully that the federal minister's idea was 'quite not bad at all'.
True, most likely the Bavarian has no time now to comment on others' proposals. He has enough of his own ideas. During the summer political lull, he pleased newspapermen with next revelations. The Bavarian demanded the introduction of a stricter visa regime for foreigners planning to come to Germany. First of all, this concerns citizens of CIS countries. According to Beckstein, the vicious visa practice of German consulates in Moscow and Kiev, which arose after the 'Volmer Instruction' (when in doubt, decide positively), facilitated the entry into Germany of hundreds of thousands of illegal workers and prostitutes. Moreover, due to the ill-considered actions of Joschka Fischer's department, even Chechen terrorists responsible for the terror attack in 'Nord-Ost' entered Germany.
In this regard, the Bavarian minister believes, control over the activities of consular departments in Germany's foreign missions should be transferred to the Interior Ministry. Anyone, but German police and counterintelligence, would quickly send back all those wishing to come to Germany for a couple of weeks. According to Beckstein, his senior colleague Schily would have long ago taken the consulates away from the Foreign Ministry, but the stubborn resistance of Joschka Fischer, who cannot be controlled, is to blame. And in general, the politician believes, Fischer's department is gradually becoming a factor of instability, risking undermining the country's security.
The Foreign Ministry's press secretary hastened to state that the 'Volmer Instruction', although formally not yet canceled, is no longer in effect in its previous form. In addition, consular workers are already actively cooperating with structures responsible for security issues. Since July of last year, a special visa department has been operating in the Central Register of Foreigners, which collects data and photographs of all those entering Germany.
Immediately after the end of the parliamentary recess, the Federal Government will respond to the CDU/CSU request on how much the current visa rules meet Germany's national security.