Chancellor Angela Merkel promised Monday that Germany's government would tackle security issues raised by the Christmas market truck attack and renewed a pledge to make a national effort to ensure that failed asylum seekers return home.
The December 19 truck attack in Berlin demanded a swift response that guarantees both security and civil liberties, Merkel said at a conference of civil servants in Cologne.
Merkel, who leads a coalition government of conservative and centre-left parties that are traditional rivals, called on officials at federal and local levels to pull together at the beginning of an election year.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere last week proposed a security shake-up that would give the federal government more powers and centralise Germany's domestic intelligence agency. The plan for more central control drew sharp criticism from state governments.
"People don't want us to point fingers at each other, they want better success," Merkel said.
The interior minister also has proposed setting up centres to facilitate the deportation of rejected asylum seekers.
"We will work on a national effort to return people to their homelands", Merkel said.
"Those who have no residency status must be returned to their homeland, but that also demands of us that we concern ourselves with the problems of these countries and find solutions that are in our mutual interest."
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