The German newspaper Bild revealed that German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is seeking to negotiate an agreement with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to return hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees residing in Germany to their homeland.
An official spokesperson for the Interior Ministry confirmed to the newspaper that "the Federal Ministry is in contact with the Syrian transitional government, including discussing the return of Syrian refugees in Germany," but also clarified that "there are specific plans for deportation that have not been announced at this time."
According to information obtained by the newspaper, the negotiations involve approximately 974,000 Syrians residing in Germany. The return of this large number is expected to impact German social welfare funds, as 512,000 Syrians receive social assistance totaling four billion euros annually, at a rate of 664 euros per month per person.
According to the newspaper, since the fall of the Assad regime, the German Interior Ministry, in cooperation with the Federal Office for Migration, has been working to find pragmatic ways to accelerate the mass return of Syrians.
The government is currently seeking to enable refugees wishing to assess the situation in their country to do so without losing their protected refugee status in Germany. An exception allowing them to travel on a single reconnaissance trip to Syria is being considered.
According to the newspaper, some, including the Deputy Minister of the Interior responsible for immigration affairs, believe that "Sunni Syrians may lose their legal status in Germany in the medium term, given that interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who belongs to the Sunni sect, does not pose a threat to them."
Zaman al-Wasl
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