Scores of Chechen refugees to be turned back to Poland

German authorities point to a rising inflow of asylum seekers from the Russian Federation, writes Berlin-based daily Die Welt.

Over 2,700 Russian citizens have reached Germany since the beginning of the year up until 23 May, Interior Ministry figures show. Over 80 percent of the newcomers identified themselves as Chechen nationals.

However, an overwhelming majority of the applicants are refused asylum. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has accepted no more than 5.8 percent of asylum requests from Russia so far this year.

German authorities say that the Russian citizens should have applied for asylum in Poland, the first safe EU member state they reached. These individuals will therefore be sent back to Poland, Interior Ministry State Secretary Ole Schroeder told Die Welt.

Berlin suspects that the outflow of Chechens may be orchestrated by Russia, as a way to demonstrate power and provoke tension in Germany.

Meanwhile, Irina Kosterina, coordinator at the Heinrich-Böll Foundation in Russia, indicates that “both radical Muslims, and also moderate Salafis are regularly persecuted in Russia’s North Caucasus.”

“They have the impression that they would have an easier life as religious followers of Islam in Europe. [The Chechens] can see that Europe is accepting Muslims from Syria, and so think that it would also take them in,” Kosterina said. “This leads to a naïve assumption that now is the right time to escape.” (aba)