Adis Ahmetovic, the SPD’s spokesperson on foreign affairs, criticised the German foreign ministry’s crisis communication. He told the magazine Focus that the initial statement-declaring no evacuation flights-had sparked confusion and unease among those affected and their relatives over the weekend.
Ahmetovic said the government was finally beginning to correct its course by helping vulnerable Germans depart in the first instance, a necessary adjustment. “This is right” he added, but warned that the effort would still be insufficient. He pointed out that tens of thousands of German citizens are in the region and that further support plans are required.
In particular, he highlighted the precarious situation of FSJ volunteers working on the ground for the federal government. These young people and their worried parents rightly expect a quick and secure resolution.
