The 26-year-old Syrian, who in August 2024 attacked people with a knife at a festival in Solingen and killed three people, should not have been in Germany at that time at all. As early as February 2023, the Bulgarian authorities agreed to take him back - since he entered the EU territory precisely through Bulgaria and, according to the Dublin Agreement, he could only seek asylum there. Again, for the same reason, he should and could have been deported from Germany, where he actually resided.
What were the conditions for his return
The German public-law media WDR has the document for the Syrian's return, issued by the Bulgarian Refugee Agency. It is part of the file collected by the parliamentary investigative committee of the Landtag in Düsseldorf and it says in English: “We prefer the transfer to Sofia Airport to take place on any weekday except Friday between 9:00 and 14:00“.
At the same time, a request was made to contact the Bulgarian authorities seven working days in advance - to specify the time of landing in Sofia. The kind letter from the Bulgarian authorities is in complete contradiction with the statements made by the Minister for Integration of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Josefine Paul of the Green Party, WDR points out.
What are the contradictions between Paul's words and the documents?
Four days after the attack in Solingen, at an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Internal Affairs and Refugees, the minister explained why the Syrian could not be returned to Bulgaria and said the following verbatim: “In this case, we are talking about the conditions under which the return to Bulgaria could take place - only from Monday to Thursday between 9:00 and 14:00. In addition, the Bulgarian authorities want to be notified nine days in advance. Charter flights are not accepted, and the number of possible air connections is very limited, which is why the landing must definitely take place in Sofia“. In other words – according to Josefine Paul, the Bulgarian authorities created great difficulties.
WDR also has a list provided by the German Office for Refugees and Migration, containing the conditions that must be met for deportations under the Dublin Agreement. They are similar to Minister Paul's statements, but there are also some differences - in the version from August 2024, only flights are allowed from Monday to Thursday with a landing in Sofia between 8:00 and 15:00. Nine working days' notice is also required.
The Ministry defends itself
In response to a written inquiry, the Ministry for Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia informed WDR that Minister Paul had always complied with the requirements of the Office for Refugees and Migration. But the ministry claims that the English sentence was misleading because it allowed for interpretations, and the lack of a comma was ambiguous.
The German Office for Refugees and Migration, for its part, notes that it is not responsible for deportations - they are the responsibility of the individual federal states.
The Liberals demand Paul's immediate resignation
The opposition in the Landtag is outraged. "The many pieces in the jigsaw puzzle show inconsistencies, disinterest and half-truths that have long revealed the image of a migration minister who is not up to the task," says Lisa Kapteynat of the Social Democratic Party. She expects immediate explanations from the minister for her contradictory statements.
The chairman of the Liberal faction, Henning Höhne, is also insistent. Thanks to the information that has now been released, it is clear that "there were many opportunities to carry out the deportation". The MP is categorical: "This minister cannot be relied on either to reveal the circumstances surrounding the attack in Solingen or to implement a consistent refugee policy. Paul has completely lost trust, which is why the liberal faction in the Landtag is demanding her immediate resignation", said Höhne, quoted by WDR. The German public-law media outlet reported that the faction of the "Alternative for Germany" has also joined the demand.
Author: Christoph Ulrich ARD