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We can't allow refugee crisis to plunge Greece into chaos, says Merkel We can't allow refugee crisis to plunge Greece into chaos, says Merkel
(6 months later)
The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has warned that European countries cannot afford to allow the continent’s continuing refugee crisis to plunge debt-stricken Greece into chaos by shutting their borders to migrants.The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has warned that European countries cannot afford to allow the continent’s continuing refugee crisis to plunge debt-stricken Greece into chaos by shutting their borders to migrants.
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With up to 70,000 refugees expected to become stranded on Greece’s northern borders in the coming days, Merkel warned that the recently bailed-out Athens government could become paralysed by the huge numbers of arrivals from war-torn areas of the Middle East and Africa.With up to 70,000 refugees expected to become stranded on Greece’s northern borders in the coming days, Merkel warned that the recently bailed-out Athens government could become paralysed by the huge numbers of arrivals from war-torn areas of the Middle East and Africa.
“Do you seriously believe that all the euro states that last year fought all the way to keep Greece in the eurozone – and we were the strictest – can one year later allow Greece to, in a way, plunge into chaos?” she said in an interview with public broadcaster ARD.“Do you seriously believe that all the euro states that last year fought all the way to keep Greece in the eurozone – and we were the strictest – can one year later allow Greece to, in a way, plunge into chaos?” she said in an interview with public broadcaster ARD.
Merkel also defended her open-door policy for migrants, rejecting any limit on the number of refugees allowed into her country despite divisions within her government.Merkel also defended her open-door policy for migrants, rejecting any limit on the number of refugees allowed into her country despite divisions within her government.
Merkel said there was no “Plan B” for her aim of reducing the flow of migrants through cooperation with Turkey and warned that the efforts could unravel were Germany to cap the number of refugees it accepts.Merkel said there was no “Plan B” for her aim of reducing the flow of migrants through cooperation with Turkey and warned that the efforts could unravel were Germany to cap the number of refugees it accepts.
“Sometimes, I also despair. Some things go too slow. There are many conflicting interests in Europe,” Merkel told state broadcaster ARD. “But it is my damn duty to do everything I can so that Europe finds a collective way.““Sometimes, I also despair. Some things go too slow. There are many conflicting interests in Europe,” Merkel told state broadcaster ARD. “But it is my damn duty to do everything I can so that Europe finds a collective way.“
Merkel spelled out her motivation to keep Germany’s borders open without limits on refugees, a policy which has damaged her once widespread popularity.Merkel spelled out her motivation to keep Germany’s borders open without limits on refugees, a policy which has damaged her once widespread popularity.
“There is so much violence and hardship on our doorstep,” she said. “What’s right for Germany in the long term? There, I think it is to keep Europe together and to show humanity.“There is so much violence and hardship on our doorstep,” she said. “What’s right for Germany in the long term? There, I think it is to keep Europe together and to show humanity.
Merkel ratcheted up her rhetoric against anti-immigration protesters by calling the abuse shouted at a busload of refugees in eastern Germany in February “repulsive” and “unjustifiable”.Merkel ratcheted up her rhetoric against anti-immigration protesters by calling the abuse shouted at a busload of refugees in eastern Germany in February “repulsive” and “unjustifiable”.
A video of about 100 people trying to block migrants from entering a shelter in the Clausnitz on 18 February prompted concern about growing extremism in Germany. The number of far-right attacks on migrants has increased significantly over the past year, as more than a million people came to Germany seeking asylum.A video of about 100 people trying to block migrants from entering a shelter in the Clausnitz on 18 February prompted concern about growing extremism in Germany. The number of far-right attacks on migrants has increased significantly over the past year, as more than a million people came to Germany seeking asylum.
Merkel has seen her ratings plummet because of her handling of the migrants issue. The majority of those surveyed by public broadcaster ARD earlier in February were dissatisfied with her.Merkel has seen her ratings plummet because of her handling of the migrants issue. The majority of those surveyed by public broadcaster ARD earlier in February were dissatisfied with her.
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Germany attracted 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, leading to calls from across the political spectrum for a change in its handling of refugees coming to Europe to escape war and poverty in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere.Germany attracted 1.1 million asylum seekers last year, leading to calls from across the political spectrum for a change in its handling of refugees coming to Europe to escape war and poverty in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Merkel faces what she said on Sunday was the biggest challenge of her decade in office and is struggling to secure a Europe-wide plan for dealing with the migrants. She is pinning her hopes on talks between European Union leaders and Turkey on 7 March and a migration summit on 18-19 March.Merkel faces what she said on Sunday was the biggest challenge of her decade in office and is struggling to secure a Europe-wide plan for dealing with the migrants. She is pinning her hopes on talks between European Union leaders and Turkey on 7 March and a migration summit on 18-19 March.
But the scale of the problem was highlighted on Sunday with around 22,000 people seeking to travel to countries in northern Europe trapped in Greece. An estimated 6,000 were stuck at the Macedonian border after Balkan countries along the migration route tightened restrictions on their frontiers.But the scale of the problem was highlighted on Sunday with around 22,000 people seeking to travel to countries in northern Europe trapped in Greece. An estimated 6,000 were stuck at the Macedonian border after Balkan countries along the migration route tightened restrictions on their frontiers.
After many failed attempts, the two meetings look like the final chance to agree on a joint response before warmer weather encourages more arrivals across the Mediterranean. But Merkel said she would fight on for a European solution even were the March 7 meeting to fall short.After many failed attempts, the two meetings look like the final chance to agree on a joint response before warmer weather encourages more arrivals across the Mediterranean. But Merkel said she would fight on for a European solution even were the March 7 meeting to fall short.
The migrants question has not only divided Europe. There is also strong dissent within Germany and the governing coalition.The migrants question has not only divided Europe. There is also strong dissent within Germany and the governing coalition.
Politicians from the state of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union, the sister party to Merkel’s CDU, have been critical of her stance.Politicians from the state of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union, the sister party to Merkel’s CDU, have been critical of her stance.
They want a limit on the number of migrants, similar to that imposed in Austria. So too does the majority of Germans in the ARD survey.They want a limit on the number of migrants, similar to that imposed in Austria. So too does the majority of Germans in the ARD survey.
Austria, the last stop on the way to Germany for hundreds of thousands of migrants, recently imposed restrictions on its borders, setting off a domino effect in Europe in limiting the flow of people, and leaving hundreds stranded in Greece.Austria, the last stop on the way to Germany for hundreds of thousands of migrants, recently imposed restrictions on its borders, setting off a domino effect in Europe in limiting the flow of people, and leaving hundreds stranded in Greece.
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Merkel dismissed such a “rigid limit”, saying: “There is no point in believing that I can solve the problem through the unilateral closure of borders.“Merkel dismissed such a “rigid limit”, saying: “There is no point in believing that I can solve the problem through the unilateral closure of borders.“
Leading German Social Democrats, part of the country’s governing coalition, earlier accused Merkel’s conservative finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble of being too thrifty in dealing with the migrant crisis.Leading German Social Democrats, part of the country’s governing coalition, earlier accused Merkel’s conservative finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble of being too thrifty in dealing with the migrant crisis.
The criticism came after Schaeuble labelled Social Democrat proposals for wider social spending on housing and public services to complement the integration of migrants as “pitiful”.The criticism came after Schaeuble labelled Social Democrat proposals for wider social spending on housing and public services to complement the integration of migrants as “pitiful”.
Stephan Weil, the Social Democrat premier of the state of Lower Saxony, hit back on Sunday, calling for a bigger social services budget as the country accommodates over a million migrants. Merkel said she did not support such an idea.Stephan Weil, the Social Democrat premier of the state of Lower Saxony, hit back on Sunday, calling for a bigger social services budget as the country accommodates over a million migrants. Merkel said she did not support such an idea.
“The finance minister obviously just doesn’t get it,” Weil told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.“The finance minister obviously just doesn’t get it,” Weil told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
Pointing to the high cost of integrating migrants, Weil said: “We cannot create the impression that this is happening at the expense of the weaker members of our society.”Pointing to the high cost of integrating migrants, Weil said: “We cannot create the impression that this is happening at the expense of the weaker members of our society.”