Berlin, Dec. 19, (dpa/GNA) – Deportations from Germany significantly dropped in 2020, partly because of the coronavirus pandemic.
From January to the end of October, 8,802 people were deported from Germany, the Interior Ministry’s state secretary Volkmar Vogel said in response to a question from Ulla Jelpke, a member of the left-wing die Linke party.
By comparison, 22,097 people were deported in the whole of 2019. According to the report, the main destination countries were Albania (733 people), Georgia (711 people), France (639 people), Serbia (608 people) and Moldova (525 people).
Because of the pandemic, there were hardly any flights at times. Destination countries also sometimes refused to take back their citizens, citing protection against infection as a reason.
The number of voluntary departures financially supported by Germany’s federal and state governments is also likely to be lower in 2020. By October, 4,319 people had taken advantage of these programmes, according to the Interior Ministry.
“Deportations force people back against their will to countries where they are threatened with violence, persecution, existential hardship or a lack of prospects. Therefore, every deportation is one too many,” Jelpke said.
“Deportations must be stopped immediately,” she said.
GNA