Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), has drawn criticism from Romanian politicians over remarks targeting migrants in Germany. Romania\u2019s former Liberal (PNL) prime minister Ilie Bolojan and Save Romania Union (USR) leader Dominic Fritz condemned the comments, with Fritz calling on her to apologize.<\/p>\n
\u201cChild benefits, basic income support, medical care: More and more migrants from Romania are plundering our welfare system,\u201d Weidel wrote on X.<\/p>\n
She claimed that related spending in Magdeburg had increased twentyfold to EUR 3 million per year and said only the AfD could reverse Germany\u2019s migration policies.<\/p>\n
With her message, Weidel shared the Welt<\/a> report on a documentary examining the effects of freedom of movement within the European Union on German cities, residents, and migrants. The documentary\u2019s author visited disadvantaged neighborhoods in several German cities, as well as rural Romanian communities from which some migrants originate.<\/p>\n https:\/\/x.com\/Alice_Weidel\/status\/2115434343417909356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2115434343417909356%7Ctwgr%5E962bda891ac650cc3b118af39d095a1c08f9742e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhotnews.ro%2Fatac-al-liderei-afd-la-romanii-din-germania-ne-jefuiesc-sistemul-social-replica-lui-dominic-fritz-2393624<\/a><\/p>\n Ilie Bolojan, a former prime minister and leader of Romania\u2019s Liberal Party (PNL), reacted on social media, describing Alice Weidel\u2019s statement as \u201cunacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe hundreds of thousands of Romanians living in Germany deserve respect. They work, pay taxes, raise their families, and contribute to the economy of the country in which they live,\u201d he wrote on Facebook<\/a>. In his turn, Dominic Fritz, a German-born former mayor of Timi\u0219oara who also leads Romania\u2019s opposition Save Romania Union, responded to Alice Weidel in a German-language video.<\/p>\n \u201cI am German, I emigrated to Romania seven years ago, so I am, in a manner of speaking, a Romanian with a migrant background, and the people of Timi\u0219oara elected me their mayor twice,\u201d Fritz said, as reported by Hotnews.ro<\/a>.<\/p>\n He argued that hundreds of thousands of Romanians working in Germany contribute to the country\u2019s social security system through their taxes and highlighted the role of Romanian medical and care workers.<\/p>\n \u201cThousands of Romanian doctors work hard in German hospitals, and who do you think paid for their training? Exactly – the Romanian taxpayer,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n Regarding Magdeburg, Dominic Fritz said welfare payments to Romanian citizens had increased because their number in the city had also risen twentyfold, adding that the large majority were employed.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there abuse? Of course, just as there is abuse in every welfare system, and we can always discuss the loopholes that need to be closed,\u201d he said. \u201cBut what you want is to benefit from the advantages that freedom of movement within the EU brings Germany without paying the price of solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n Fritz also criticized Romanian nationalist party AUR for not responding to Alice Weidel\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n \u201cThey insult Romanians in the diaspora, and you remain silent,\u201d he said. \u201cI will not remain silent, because my love for Romania and Europe is genuine.\u201d<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/reel\/1446974254230606<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u201cPossible violations of the law must be handled individually, and no generalization based on nationality can justify discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n