Saxon Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) considers the federal government's plans for protection against Islamist terror and irregular migration to be inadequate. "The alleged security package is in fact only the smallest common denominator. In Germany, however, a genuine and serious security offensive is long overdue," he said in response to an inquiry. Together with the CDU/CSU-led federal states, Saxony would be writing to the federal government about the measures that are essential for a truly effective fight against terrorism.
"In view of the threat situation and our continued dependence on foreign services, we can no longer just discuss things like data retention, video surveillance with biometrics, testing of AI tools, more control powers for the police, online searches or source monitoring (telecommunications surveillance).
Schuster: rejection at borders necessary
In Schuster's opinion, the most incomprehensible gap in the federal government's paper concerns the issue of borders. The federal government must immediately and consistently stop the influx of asylum seekers to Germany, emphasized Schuster. As necessary measures, he cited rejections at the border when entering from a safe third country, a stop to family reunification for people with subsidiary protection and the creation of asylum centers in third countries outside the Schengen area. "These demands are also non-negotiable in coalition negotiations in Saxony after the state elections."
According to the coalition's plans, benefits for migrants for whom another European state that has agreed to take them back would be canceled. Offenders are to be deported more easily. There is also to be a general ban on knives on long-distance buses and trains, at public festivals and other major events. In addition, investigating authorities are to be allowed to compare publicly available biometric images with the photos of suspects or wanted persons in the fight against Islamism.
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