The German government changes the "security package"

2024-10-13 21:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Removal of social benefits for certain groups of refugees - this was one of the most important points initially in the "security package" of the German coalition government. According to her, there should have been general aid cuts for the so-called "Dublin refugees", that is, those who have already registered in another EU country.

The new package must now include a regulation on hardship cases affecting, among others, children, according to ARD information. Beyond that, cuts to social benefits should only be possible if it is realistically possible for the current recipient of the aid to travel to the EU country originally responsible, says the parliamentary group, Alliance 90/Greens.

Whereas the SPD parliamentary group in a letter addressed to its members, states that the reduction would only come into force if "there were no obstacles to return". With these changes, the parliamentary groups react to the criticisms, among other things, of the experts that were heard in the expert sessions in the Bundestag. For weeks there have been warnings of drastic difficulties for those affected: "With the removal of social benefits, we do not want to create either homelessness or misery for asylum seekers," the SPD letter says.

The German government changes the "security package"

More powers only for serious crimes

But still part of the package is giving more powers to the security authorities, for more investigative options: for example, biometric matching checks for facial recognition are allowed further, in order to facilitate the identification of suspects. However, the powers are now limited to the prosecution or prevention of more serious crimes, such as murder, manslaughter or the formation of a terrorist organization. There will be significantly fewer cases in which the authorities use such methods. "The target group will be further restricted," wrote the SPD parliamentary group. Experts had described the plans as broad violations of fundamental rights. That is why they should now be restricted only in exceptional cases.

The German government changes the "security package"

Criticism of the knife ban

In addition, it is noted in the security package that an evaluation of the measures should be done after three years - not by the Ministry of the Interior itself, but by independent researchers. There was clear criticism from security experts at the Bundestag hearings on the planned knife bans, where there was talk of "pure symbolic politics" and that the coalition government cannot adequately define what constitutes a knife. "Is the fish knife from the cutlery box a knife too?" asked a senior criminal investigator who had to evaluate the plans.

"We have to take this criticism seriously, that's why there are changes now," said FDP parliamentary group MP Konstantin Kuhle. The new regulations "will enable everyone to understand if they are affected by the knife ban or not". The coalition government will discuss the security package next week in the internal parliamentary committee of the Bundestag and then in the Bundestag./ DW