Published On 3/11/2025
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Last update: 14:51 (Mecca time)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadewohl was subjected to criticism from within his Christian Democratic Party after his statements in which he doubted the possibility of achieving the dignified return of Syrian refugees to their country due to the massive destruction that he personally witnessed during his visit to Syria.
Gunther Krings, deputy head of the parliamentary bloc of the Christian Alliance, said in statements to the German newspaper Bild that the war in Syria is over, and that the extent of the destruction in a country is not an argument against “voluntary or compulsory return.”
He continued, saying, “Who will rebuild a destroyed country if not its male and female citizens?”
In the same context, the regional head of the Christian Democratic Party in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and its Minister of Economy, Sven Schulze, said that he could not understand Vadevol’s statements.
Schulze stressed the necessity of working on a rapid return strategy for the Syrians, and said that “a partially destroyed country and worse living conditions than Germany are no reason not to work on that.”
The German Foreign Minister and the accompanying delegation, accompanied by the Minister of Emergencies, are briefed on the reality of the destroyed neighborhoods in the city of Harasta in the Damascus countryside. pic.twitter.com/ojUHrZ29IB
— Syrian Arab News Agency – SANA (@Sana__gov) October 30, 2025
Vadivul, who visited Syria last Thursday, doubted the possibility of a large number of Syrian refugees voluntarily returning to their country anytime soon, given the massive scale of destruction.
The German minister said during his visit to the city of Harasta in the Damascus countryside that he had never personally witnessed such destruction before. “It is really difficult for people to live in dignity here,” he added.
The minister pointed out that the Syrian government values Syrian youth who received their education in Germany, but they have the freedom to choose their path.
He added, “Everyone who stays with us, contributes to our community, and works collaboratively is still welcome.” He pointed out that his ministry is in contact with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the deportation of some “perpetrators of serious crimes.”
Concern among refugees
The escalation of decisions to deport asylum seekers among Syrians residing in Germany has led to a state of anxiety among refugees, amid questions about the reasons for this.
This came with the German government announcing that it was working to reach an agreement with its Syrian counterpart to accelerate the pace of deportation, which sparked widespread criticism from human rights organizations in the country.
The German Interior Ministry, led by Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Bavarian Christian Social Party, recently decided not to allow what are known as “reconnaissance trips” for Syrian refugees, which means that anyone who travels to Syria risks losing his protection status.
The previous government had considered allowing these trips in order to prepare for a possible return.
The Secretary-General of the Christian Democratic Party, Carsten Linnemann, denied that there was a dispute within the conservative Christian coalition (which includes the Christian Democratic Party and the Bavarian Christian Social Party) over this matter, and said in statements to the “AR Adi” channel that “this is an imaginary conflict,” stressing that Dobrint and Vadevol agree in opinion.
He continued, “We deport. We must, of course, deport the perpetrators of crimes.”
Likewise, German government spokesman Stefan Cornelius, in statements to the Bild newspaper, described this issue as an “imaginary conflict,” explaining that the government is working to achieve rapid stability in Syria to create the necessary conditions for the return of refugees.
He said that “stability and return are two sides of the same coin,” and that the government believes “without a doubt that the perpetrators of serious crimes must leave, as the Foreign Minister clearly confirmed in Damascus.”