German ministry aims to give a few Syrians new status

Hours later, he shelved the idea, saying things remain unchanged for now.

De Maiziere apparently hadn’t consulted other members of the governing coalition.

Gabriel told ZDF television Saturday the minister was smart to backtrack. “And I think the measure is finished with that”, the broadcaster reported on its website. One of the boats was “in a hard situation” while two others were “rudderless”. Earlier, Greek authorities had reported that Saturday was the first time in 11 days that no migrant had been reported dead in the Aegean, largely because of favorable weather.

The short crossing can be very risky in high seas, with big waves sending overfull, flimsy boats crashing into the rocky coasts or causing them to capsize.

The latest anti-immigrant rally, organized in Berlin by the Alternative for Germany party, drew 5,000 people shouting “Merkel Must Go!”.

Alternativ für Deutschland (AfD), a populist-nationalist party which isn’t represented in the German parliament, has seats in several regional legislatures.

Five counter-protests in support of migrants were planned in Berlin, with an expected turnout of 7,000. Police deployed 1,100 officers to prevent clashes and used pepper spray to prevent clashes between the rival demonstrators. The ministry’s Facebook page warns would-be refugees they could be sent home if their asylum applications are turned down and that people who won’t leave Norway voluntarily “will be returned by force”.

According to a report in the German newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sontagszeitung” (FAS), de Maiziere had not informed the chancellery about the instruction of the Interior Ministry.

It wasn’t clear to what extent the conservative de Maiziere had discussed the idea with anyone else in Merkel’s coalition.

AfD is one of the principle critics of the top European economy’s open-door policy under Chancellor Angela Merkel towards refugees fleeing war and persecution.

Germany saw 758,000 migrants arrive between January and October.

Until now Syrians, Iraqis and Eritreans entering Germany have been virtually guaranteed full refugee status, meaning the right to stay for at least three years, entitlement for family members to join them, and generous welfare benefits.

The AfD has attacked the government’s policy, calling it “asylum chaos” and the party’s deputy leader has accused Merkel of “people smuggling” for allowing thousands of asylum seekers into the country after they got stuck on the Hungarian border.