International News

BERLIN, (APP/AFP) – Germany’s upper house
of parliament on Friday delayed a decision on labelling three North African nations as “safe countries of origin”, after the Greens torpedoed the move aimed at curbing the
influx of migrants.
After data showed that rising numbers of migrants from Algeria,
Morocco and Tunisia were arriving in Germany last year at the peak of its record refugee influx, Berlin sought to find ways to dissuade Maghreb nationals from coming.
The move gained broad support particularly after the rash of sexual
violence on New Year’s Eve in Cologne that was mainly blamed on North African
men.
Conferring the status of “safe countries” would mean that nationals
from these countries would have little chance of winning asylum.
But the Greens rejected the measure, arguing that the human rights
situation in the three countries was poor, with gays discriminated against and bloggers and journalists facing censorship.