Bayerns indenrigsminister Joachim Herrman finder det meningsløst at stænge Balkan-ruten med den ene hånd og give tyrkerne visumfrihed med den anden. Det vil åbne for en ny migrantbølge til Europa, og den vil være helt legal og ikke noget at gøre med, advarer han.

Herrmann mindet om hvad der skete da Tyskland gav folkene på Balkan visumfrihed. Da eksploderede indvandringen. Det samme vil ske nu, spår han. Tænk bare på kurderne i Tyrkiet, som ikke har det lætt, og mange har slægt i Tyskland. Hvorfor skulle de ikke komme efter?

Agreeing to a refugee deal with Turkey that offers Ankara visa exemptions will set off a new wave of migration from Kurdish areas of Turkey, Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann said on Thursday.

Speaking to the Rheinische Post, the conservative Bavarian politician said that it is in Germany’s interest to reach an agreement with Turkey, but that “we must not concede too much to them.”

Herrmann noted that when Germany did away with visa requirements for Balkan states in 2009, the number of asylum applications from these countries “exploded”.

Turkey is pushing for a deal with the EU which would impose tighter controls along its sea border to prevent refugees entering Greece, in exchange for a relaxation of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens seeking to enter the 28-member union.

“We shouldn’t bring a new refugee wave into the country by agreeing to abolish visa restrictions for all Turkish citizens including Kurds,” Herrmann said.