Dresden (dpa / sn) - The left are demanding new rules for dealing with hardship cases of rejected asylum seekers. "The cases in which the Hardship Commission advocates a right to stay are declining sharply. It is therefore all the more important that the Minister of the Interior, as the last instance, does not block, but enables," said Juliane Nagel, a member of the state parliament in Dresden on Monday. A binding regulation is needed "with which the Ministry of the Interior can be put in its place". The minimum would be a right to be heard by the Commission and an obligation to justify deviating decisions. Reasons for rejection, which the Commission has already examined, should no longer play a role in the final decision of the Minister of the Interior.
In a small inquiry in the state parliament, Nagel asked for figures on the decisions of the hardship commission. The body deals with contentious cases of rejected asylum seekers, especially when it comes to humanitarian issues. Last year, Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) rejected four requests from the Commission for a right to stay, in 21 cases he agreed. The year before, only one of 42 requests had been rejected.
The Hardship Commission consists of nine members who are delegated by churches, charities, non-governmental organizations and government agencies. The Commissioner for Foreigners is in the chair. The members can submit applications to the commission, and the Commissioner for Foreigners decides on acceptance. After three months at the latest, the commission deliberates and decides with a two-thirds majority. If it comes about, the Minister of the Interior will be asked to issue a right to stay.
