BERLIN, Aug 30 (Reuters) – Germany and other European Union countries turned a blind eye to the refugee crisis building on its external borders for too long, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a German newspaper interview to be published on Wednesday. “For that goal, the investment will be made on the part of the government, as well as by German business circles, with representatives of which we are meeting tonight”, said Angela Merkel.
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A series of attacks in Germany over the summer, two by refugees, have only deepened outrage in the anti-Merkel camp.
Germany, Europe and the world may be undergoing dramatic changes, but Merkel, the message from her camp goes, remains a constant – solid, a bit boring, but unflappable and above all hard-working.
“People are very unhappy with her refugee policies”, said Helmut Schroeder, a 61-year-old unemployed locksmith in Greifswald.
“Given that we’re great at emergency response, given that we’re great at being generous, let us also become leaders in prevention”, Renzi said.
She admonished German politicians to express themselves in moderate terms and not participate in the current ratcheting up of rhetoric about threats.
Merkel said no decision had been made about where the school would be. “It’s astonishing that one woman could take such a momentous decision on her own”. The Daily Mail reports that a plea was given by the Hamburg native in a cabinet meeting held Wednesday, urging those considering whether to switch support to ring-wing party Alternative for Germany not to do so, and to give her another chance.
Asked about a drop in her popularity in public opinion polls following several violent attacks in July that involved one Afghan refugee and a Syrian national (both were reportedly in contact with members of Islamic State), Merkel said it was “completely understandable” that there has been “unease and concern” following the attacks.
Merkel’s backers note that despite the turmoil of the past year, her conservatives still enjoy a double-digit poll lead over their centre-left rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD). Her approval ratings plummeted in Germany and her once unassailable position as chancellor has come under threat.
But Mrs Merkel insisted she will not back down on the policy, launched a year ago after other countries such as Hungary and Poland refused to accept migrants.
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“Italy will present a transparent plan and we will find a reasonable solution in Europe”.
