In the shadow of the «summer of migration» in 2015, new restrictive migration and border policies were introduced at the national and EU levels aimed at containing migration. German parliament decided to designate a number of «safe countries of origin», above all, countries from the Balkans. Asylum applications from these countries are thus presumed unfounded, although the majority of applicants from the Balkans are Roma who are subject to persecution, marginalization and social exclusion. They are now severely disadvantaged in the asylum process and regarded only as «economic migrants».
Wenke Christoph, since December 2021, State Secretary in the Berlin Senate Department for Integration, Labor and Social Affairs.
