The downward trend in people seeking asylum in Germany has continued, with 97,277 first-time applications over the first 10 months of this year, compared with 199,947 in the same period last year, according to the Interior Ministry.
“Our migration turnaround is working. We have considerably reduced Germany’s pull factor and magnetic effect,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the mass-circulation Bild tabloid in comments published on Sunday.
A ministerial spokesman pointed to increased border checks. Around 18,600 people have been refused entry or sent back at German borders since May, he said.
Upon taking office in May, Dobrindt gave instructions that asylum seekers should be rejected at the border.
Measures taken by Balkan countries could also have played a role in the reduced figures.
A further factor is the changed situation in Syria, previously the source of many asylum seekers, where the regime of Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December.
Source: dpa
Source: ghanabusinessnews.com
