Beatrix von Storch
Escalation in Idlib
German Bundestag, March 5, 2020, Plenarprotokoll
19/149, pp. 18628-18629
[Beatrix von
Storch is an Alternative für Deutschland Bundestag member from Berlin. She is a lawyer. Peter Altmaier is German
Minister for Economic Affairs.]
The
Greeks today on the Turkish border defend law against violence, freedom against
tyranny, and Europe against Erdogan. The little, Christian country on the edge
of the EU is being attacked by unscrupulous Islamists. Our solidarity is with
the Greek nation.
Erdogan
quite openly guides the migrant stream to the Greek border so that its mostly
young men – who are not, contrary to what we have heard, from Syria – may storm
that border. He wants to throw us into chaos. That is an act of aggression
which requires a clear response.
We have
the means at hand: Suspension of the customs agreements, penalty tariffs, a
stop to armaments deliveries and a stop to the issuance of visas for travel
from Turkey to the EU. In contrast, the Federal government’s attitude of
submission [Unterwerfungshaltung] is
pitiful. The only language this dictator understands is the politics of the strong,
and that says sanction and not subvention, as was determined yesterday yet
again in the budget committee.
Only
a blind man could not see what is coming. Already during the 2016 negotiations
on the deal with Turkey, Erdogan had said – or threatened: We can at any time
open the doors to Greece and put the refugees on the buses. What he is now
doing, he already at that time had announced. The political responsibility for
this devastating situation is borne by none other than Frau Dr. Angela Merkel.
Merkel has sacrificed the defense of the German border so that she could be
celebrated in the press as Mother Teresa. She has thereby given over the border
defense into the dirty hands of the Bosporus despot, as well as the leverage to
extort Europe.
Johann David Wadephul (CDU/CSU):
Come to the point, Frau colleague. We are
speaking of Idlib.
The
EU-Turkey deal is Merkel’s deal and its failure is Merkel’s failure.
With
that agreement, the Chancellor for better or for worse has tied the fate of
Europe and Germany to the whim of an Islamist. Erdogan has incarcerated tens of
thousands of opponents. In Syria, he is cooperating with jihadists. In Germany,
he blithely presents himself with the greeting of the Moslem Brotherhood. That
is the partner of whom Altmaier has said, He may be more European than many
Europeans.
How
can a government so readily degrade its own country?
Alexander Lambsdorff (FDP): I think we may put
Norway on the Bosporus. That’ll work!
The
origin of the disaster is that the Chancellor has abrogated the third state
regulation [Drittstaatenregulung]. That
states that he who enters on foot from Austria has no right to asylum here.
Thus, he has not right to an asylum procedure and indeed none to enter. Helmut Kohl
wrote in his memoirs of the 1993 basic law amendment which introduced the third
state regulation. Only it made the European regulations possible. Only it made
possible the full participation in Schengen and Dublin. Only the third state
regulation can pull the plug on the smuggling gangs and other criminals.
What
the unity Chancellor said then is valid today. The rejection of asylum
applications which come from secure third states is the key to solving the
crisis. You of the Union, SPD and FDP with a constitutional amendment formed a
majority, and that was right; since otherwise the German social state draws in migrant
streams from all the world through all the countries of Europe.
Ottmar von Holz (Greens): Speak for
once about Idlib!
That
we cannot do. And that we certainly do not want to do.
He
who proclaims the ultimate welcome culture for the largest economy with the
largest social state in Europe and declares “No man is illegal” bears the guilt
that millions of men are on the way, risking their lives and sinking Europe
into chaos.
Christoph Matshie (SPD): What stuff
and nonsense!
He
who does that is not a friend of mankind but a dangerous wrong way driver [Geisterfahrer].
The
Chancellor is now finally at the end of her term as Chancellor. This is the
last opportunity to make some restitution for all that she has dished out to
Europe.
Steffi Lemke (SPD): At least you are still free to
make such statements in plenary session!
Johann David Wadephul (CDU/CSU): Not
a word on Idlib!
Frau
Chancellor, address yourself to the migrants in Turkey, tell them that they are
not welcome in Germany! Declare your solidarity with Greece! And finally show
firmness with Erdogan. Frau Merkel, while in office you have for long shown
little dignity in facing the Turkish dictator; but you could at least with
dignity go.
Many
thanks.
Martin
Schulz (SPD): So long, Frau Goebbels! Fascists!
[Translated
by Todd Martin]
