German ruling opens door to Greece deportations
A landmark decision by Germany’s Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig could trigger mass returns of refugees to Greece, stirring diplomatic tension between Berlin and Athens.
The court ruled that two asylum seekers, recognized as refugees in Greece, must return there, judging conditions adequate for basic needs like food, shelter and hygiene. German officials estimate up to 45,000 young, able-bodied refugees could be affected.
However, Greece’s Migration Minister Makis Voridis warned that returns could only occur within the framework of European solidarity and equal burden-sharing.
Relations between the two countries are strained, with Berlin’s new conservative leadership under pressure to adopt stricter migration policies. Although the ruling empowers deportations, experts note that actual numbers may remain low, requiring Greece’s consent for each case. Germany hopes the ruling will discourage secondary migration within the EU, reshaping future asylum patterns.
Final legal details are expected within weeks.
Kathimerini
