Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Interior Minister Criticizes CDU Ahead of Special Committee Meeting
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Interior Minister Christian Pegel (SPD) has criticized the CDU faction in the state parliament ahead of a special session of the Interior Committee scheduled for Friday. "I find it astonishing that a special session was requested to obtain information, but speculations are already being made to the detriment of the work of the immigration authority in the district of Nordwestmecklenburg," Pegel said.
In a press release issued by his ministry, Pegel described the speculations made by the CDU parliamentary group about the suspect in a knife attack on a pedestrian in Wismar as "unprofessional." Pegel referred to statements made by the CDU parliamentary group on the suspect, a foreign national.
According to Pegel, the files show that the immigration authority of the Nordwestmecklenburg district, the police, and the judiciary had repeatedly attempted to make decisions to detain the suspect. The decisions ultimately made by the judiciary and the independent courts were decisive for the authorities.
In relation to the recent homicide in Schwerin, in which an Afghan teenager was killed, the Interior Minister expressed his gratitude to the police and judiciary investigators. He also supported the police’s request for the public to be vigilant and to contact the police if they believe they have recognized the perpetrator. "For your own safety, please do not take any action yourself," the minister said.
At the same time, Pegel expressed regret that an important and beneficial amendment to the law had been rejected in the Bundesrat by CDU-led states. "This blockade based purely on party tactics harms our case and potentially the people in our country. Because with an adjusted regulation, the police would have one more tool to search for the fugitive perpetrator," Pegel said.
CDU Countering Claims of Speculation
In response to the criticism, the CDU parliamentary group reiterated its commitment to a rigorous investigation of the Wismar knife attack. "It is our responsibility as a parliamentary group to examine the circumstances of this act of violence and to demand answers from the state government," said CDU state party leader Franz-Robert Liskow.
Liskow accused Pegel of attempting to suppress legitimate questions by labeling them as speculation. "The Interior Minister’s attempt to prevent any discussion of the case is peculiar," Liskow said, adding that the CDU would "not let itself be intimidated" by such attempts.
Additional Information on the Cases
The knife attack in Wismar occurred on the evening of August 22, 2023. The victim, a 32-year-old woman, was walking near a park when she was approached by the suspect, who stabbed her multiple times. The suspect fled the scene and is still at large.
The homicide in Schwerin took place on the morning of September 1, 2023. The victim, a 17-year-old Afghan national, was found dead in an apartment building. The circumstances of his death are still under investigation.
The Bundesrat is the upper house of the German parliament, representing the states. It has the power to approve or reject laws passed by the Bundestag, the lower house. The CDU is the largest party in the Bundesrat, with control of 16 out of 69 votes.
