Faeser wants to destroy the smugglers' business model after the boat accident

According to Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD), the boat accident off the Italian coast shows the need for more legal entry options and for a more effective limitation of irregular migration. The terrible accident in the Mediterranean was "another terrible tragedy," the SPD politician told the dpa news agency on Monday. She emphasized: "We are not blunted in the face of this need, but continue to act despite considerable resistance so that human rights are protected and migration is controlled much more strongly than has been the case up to now."

The federal government has initiated a "reversal in migration policy," explained Faeser. "We enable legal migration routes, and at the same time we limit irregular migration through migration agreements with countries of origin and by protecting the EU's external borders." Because if people could immigrate according to clear criteria, this would also destroy the business model of smugglers who bring migrants into the European Union on life-threatening routes.

The readmission agreements mentioned by Faeser are still a wish, but not a reality. In recent years, the EU has failed to conclude agreements with key countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. Most recently, the European Council decided to possibly introduce "restrictive visa measures" for countries that did not cooperate on the return of migrants. Faeser had previously expressed skepticism about this measure.

At least 62 migrants were killed in a boat accident off the southern Italian coast on Sunday. Around 80 people were rescued or were able to reach the Calabrian coast on their own after their wooden cutter capsized. Dozens of people were still missing. According to initial findings, the migrants started in Izmir, Turkey, on Thursday, bypassed southern Greece and then set course for southern Italy.

In June 2022, the EU states had agreed on an initial one-year mechanism to support Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Malta and Spain in dealing with migrants. The other countries can either accept those seeking protection from those bordering on the Mediterranean Sea or help them with money or benefits in kind. Participation in the program is voluntary and also open to non-EU countries such as Norway and Switzerland.

However, the program got off to a rather slow start. Germany last brought 180 asylum seekers from Italy at the end of January. Then there was another flight from Cyprus to Germany. However, Faeser saw the agreement as a good signal. She said: "The agreement has shown that compromises are possible among EU member states and that we can find common solutions."

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