BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – CDU leader Friedrich Merz has apologized for his choice of words about “social tourism” by Ukraine refugees. “If my choice of words is perceived as hurtful, then I apologize in all forms,” Merz tweeted on Tuesday. There was a lot of criticism for his statements about the refugees from Ukraine, explained Merz and added: “I regret the use of the word “social tourism”. That was an inaccurate description of a problem that could be observed in individual cases.”
Merz wrote that his comment “only applied to the lack of registration of the refugees. It was and is far from my intention to criticize the refugees from Ukraine, who are confronted with a hard fate.”
The “non-word” jury of linguists chose the word “social tourism” as the non-word of the year in 2013.
Merz told Bild TV on Monday evening: “We are now experiencing social tourism from these refugees: to Germany, back to Ukraine, to Germany, back to Ukraine.” The background according to Merz: Initially, Ukraine refugees were entitled to care under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act – since June they have received basic security, i.e. the same benefits as Hartz IV recipients, and are therefore better off./bk/DP/ngu