German politician: Germany is not allowed to ban Syrians from voting in Berlin

Yesterday, the Syrian expatriates in Germany were informed that they can not cast their vote in the Syrian presidential elections in the Syrian embassy in Berlin because the German authorities banned this process there. 

 

According to analyst Kevork Al-Massian, Merkel government bans Syrians from voting in Germany because it was betting  that few Syrians in Germany  will  vote in the elections and it will tell the public opinion in Germany that the majority of Syrians are anti-Syrian government. , but what happened over the past week is that Syrian expatriates mobilized themselves and were planning to come in big numbers to Berlin to vote despite the fact that they were threatened that photos will be captured to those who will come to vote in the Syrian embassy  in order to send their photos to the German authorities to strip them of residency.    

 

Syrian German expatriates Hanin said that there are big pressures on the Syrians  who are living in Western countries to participate in regime change opinion and to be against their government, otherwise they will be deported. 

 

She was surprised when she was informed that she can not vote. 

 

“The German authorities have not mentioned why they have prevented Syrians in Germany from taking part in the Syrian presidential elections in the Syrian embassy in Berlin,” Hanin told the Syria Times e-newspaper.  

 

So, we sent a WhatsApp message to Gunnar Lindemann, Member of Berlin regional parliament, to know why Merkel government has decided to ban Syrian election in Berlin.  

 

His reply was: “I can’t find an official reason. Presumably the official reason is the lack of diplomatic relations between Germany and Syria. In truth, the German Foreign Minister has already stated several times that he will not recognize the elections in Syria.”

 

“The entire EU does not want to recognize the elections because it is the EU’s goal to achieve a change of government in Syria…I think the approach of the EU and the German Foreign Minister is wrong,”  Lindemann added.

 

He went on to say: “We as Germans and Europeans are not allowed to interfere in the internal political affairs of Syria… Syria has the right to hold elections and we would be well advised to accept the result of the election. And we shouldn’t hinder the elections in Syria.”

 

Berlin will witness tomorrow a protest outside the doors of the Syrian embassy against the German authorities’ decision on banning Syrians from voting. 

 

According to Hanin the participation in the Syrian presidential elections is very important but it is very hard for expatriates to travel to Syria to vote at this time because of the Coronavirus crisis.

 

Interviewed by: Basma Qaddour