Germany's vice chancellor says he considers a proposal the interior minister made, then shelved, to give many Syrians a restricted asylum status "finished" — signaling he doesn't want to set off a political fight over it. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Friday many Syrians should get "subsidiary protection," which carries a one-year renewable residence permit and wouldn't allow them to bring relatives to Germany for two years. The Greek coast guard says it and European Union border agency Frontex have rescued a total of 383 migrants attempting the short but perilous crossing from Turkey to eastern Greek islands. An anti-immigration party has staged a march in Berlin against the German government's migrant policies, with protesters chanting "Merkel must go!" and counter-protesters shouting "Nazis out!" The party rejects Chancellor Angela Merkel's welcoming approach to refugees and some protesters carried banners reading "Stop Merkel, save Germany." Oil-rich Norway has launched a campaign to tell would-be refugees that the government is planning tighter immigration rules and they could be sent home if their asylum application is turned down. Justice Minister Anders Anundsen says the current center-right government plans to reduce benefits for refugees up to 20 percent and introduce tighter immigration rules to stem the flow of asylum seekers to Norway. A senior Bavarian conservative is backing an idea that Germany's interior minister raised, then shelved, to give many Syrians a status short of full asylum. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Friday that perhaps many Syrians should get "subsidiary protection," which comes with only a one-year renewable residence permit and wouldn't allow them to bring relatives to Germany for two years. Merkel says in her weekly video message Saturday: "We must speak again and again about the fact that the question of how we deal with refugees is a common question for all European member states," at least those that have signed up for the Schengen passport-free travel area. Swedish authorities say an empty building intended to house refugees has been burned to the ground in southwestern Sweden, the latest suspected arson fire to hit asylum centers or buildings being renovated for refugees.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com |
