German court greenlights deportations to Greece
Germany‘s Federal Administrative Court has ruled in favor of the country’s right to deport refugees to Greece under the Dublin Regulation. This landmark decision carries significant political implications, with members of the Christian Democratic Union, led by Friedrich Merz, seeing it as a prerequisite for implementing the next Berlin government’s migration plan.
The ruling, as reported by Die Welt, states that deportations of single, healthy, and employable migrants to Greece are permissible. Despite shortcomings in Greece’s reception system, the court determined that this group of migrants is not at risk of facing extreme hardships.
The case involved two refugees—one stateless from Gaza and one Somali—who had entered Greece via Turkiye and were granted international protection and temporary residence. They later traveled to Germany and requested asylum, which was rejected by both federal authorities and an administrative court in Hesse.
The key issue, according to presiding judge Robert Keller, was whether migrants in Greece had access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, and hygiene. While acknowledging the harshness of the conditions, the court concluded that these were not severe enough to violate EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The judges also noted that, while migrants may face bureaucratic challenges, they can still find accommodation, food, and work, often through informal channels.
Die Welt pointed out that other courts had been more critical of the situation in Greece, which had led to a suspension of mass deportations from Germany.
In a more triumphant tone, Bild Zeitung headlined: “Mass deportations to Greece now?” The paper also quoted the President of Germany’s Federal Migration Office, Hans-Eckhard Sommer, who confirmed that the government would immediately implement the decision. Asylum applications from migrants in this category would be rejected, with a focus on fast-tracking deportations to Greece to deter further migration to Germany.
According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), 25,112 migrants recognized as refugees in Greece applied for asylum in Germany in 2024 alone.
Although the German court’s decision paves the way for the deportation of migrants to Greece, reports suggest that their return may depend on Greece’s consent. This could lead to tensions between the two European countries.
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