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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 22 augusT 2017
German nationalists try reviving migration as election topic

election issue as it battles polls, half of what the party
with flagging support, de- had at the height of the im-
spite waning concern migration crisis.
among Germans over the Support for Chancellor An-
matter. More than 1 million gela Merkel’s conservative
migrants entered Germany bloc dropped during the
in 2015-2016. Alternative influx and its aftermath, but
for Germany leaders Alex- has rebounded to about
ander Gauland and Alice 39 percent. Merkel’s cam-
Weidel told reporters in paign speeches have fo-
Berlin they think the wave cused more on the coun-
of newcomers has led to try’s growing economy and
increased crime, an over- record low unemployment.
whelmed educational sys- Like Merkel’s Christian Dem-
tem and an “Islamization of ocrats, most other parties
society.” “The big number have not made migration
of migrants cannot be in- a major issue of their elec-
tegrated in the long run,” tion campaigns.
Weidel said, calling for Germany, like several other
tougher asylum laws. She European countries, has
also advocated shutting suffered a number of ex-
Alice Weidel, left, and Alexander Gauland, right, top candidates of the German AfD (Alternative down the Mediterranean tremist attacks, some of
for Germany) party for the upcoming general elections, attend a press conference in Berlin, Sea route from Libya to Eu- which were committed
Germany, Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. rope that many migrants by asylum-seekers who
(AP Photo/Michael Sohn) use and accused the Ger- came to the country in the
By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER many navy of participat- 2015 wave. In an interview
US Embassy in Russia will stop Associated Press ing in human trafficking by published Monday by Bild
issuing tourist visas for 8 days BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s assisting migrant boats in newspaper, Merkel was
anti-immigrant AfD party distress. The AfD’s support asked to comment on mi-
pushed Monday to make has dropped ahead of the grants in Germany who
By NATALIYA VASILYEVA legations of Russian inter- the massive influx of mi- Sept. 24 election to 7 per- have committed crimes or
Associated Press ference in the U.S. vote. grants into the country an cent in the most recent violent attacks. q
MOSCOW (AP) — In a step President Vladimir Putin
that could affect hundreds said Russia felt forced to
of thousands of Russian reciprocate after the U.S.
tourists, the U.S. Embassy Congress approved sanc-
in Russia said Monday it tions against Russia for
would suspend issuing non- meddling in the 2016 U.S.
immigrant visas for eight election and for its ag-
days from Wednesday in gression in Ukraine and
response to the Russian Syria. He dismissed the new
decision to cap embassy package of sanctions as
staff.The embassy made based on “unfounded ac-
the decision after the Rus- cusations.”
sian Foreign Ministry or- The vast majority of the
dered a cap on the num- more than 1,000 employ-
ber of U.S. diplomatic per- ees at the various U.S. dip-
sonnel in Russia, it said in a lomatic missions in Russia,
statement, adding that it including the embassy in
would resume issuing visas Moscow and the three
in Moscow on Sept. 1, but consulates, are believed to
maintain the suspension be Russian nationals.
at consulates in St. Peters- The U.S. embassy said Mon-
burg, Yekaterinburg and day that Russia’s decision
Vladivostok indefinitely. to cut its staff “calls into
Nearly a quarter of a million question Russia’s serious-
Russian tourists visited the ness about pursuing better
U.S. last year, according to relations.”
Russian tourism officials. However, it insisted that it
Earlier this month, Russia would be able to maintain
ordered the U.S. to cut its adequate staffing “to car-
embassy and consulate ry out essential elements of
staff in Russia by 755, or our mission.”
two-thirds. The U.S. State Department
Moscow’s move was a said the decision to sus-
long-expected response pend visas was not retalia-
to former U.S. President tion for Russia’s capping of
Barack Obama’s move to U.S. diplomatic personnel,
expel 35 Russian diplomats noting that having fewer
and shut down two Russian personnel inevitably results
recreational retreats in the in a reduction in the servic-
United States following al- es they can provide.q