The Netherlands and Germany suddenly changed course on Wednesday and stated that they will not expel Afghan citizens seeking asylum for the time being, given the rapid escalation of conflict in their countries.
The decisions of The Hague and Berlin contradicted a letter they signed to the European Commission last week, which insisted that they have the right to forcibly expel Afghan asylum seekers whose cases have been rejected.
The spokesperson of the German Ministry of the Interior, Steve Oort, announced on Twitter the new decision “in view of the current security situation in Afghanistan.” Progress, but the evictions will continue.
Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior said that although Taliban militants have made significant progress in the country, Germany still believes that it should be possible to deport Afghan asylum seekers, adding that the case is handled on an individual basis.
The Dutch Deputy Minister of Justice Ankie Broekers-Knol stated in a letter to Parliament that the Netherlands originally planned to update its policy on Afghanistan in October, but has now made a decision “in view of the rapidly deteriorating situation there.”
After the Taliban stepped down in 2001, they worked hard to re-enforce strict Islamic laws. After foreign troops headed by the United States withdrew after 20 years of stationing, they made sudden and strong progress in their campaign to defeat the Kabul government.
Broekers-Knol wrote: “The situation is undergoing such changes and developments, and the future time is so uncertain that I decided to freeze the decision and deportation of the ongoing asylum case.”
However, Greece, which signed the letter with five other EU countries last week, said on Wednesday that ending such deportations “will send a wrong message” and encourage more Afghans to try to travel to Europe.
The other signatories to the letter to the European Commission last week are Belgium, Austria and Denmark.
