MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Foreigners without sufficient German language skills living in Bavaria may face a cut in social benefits if they refuse to learn German.
Bavaria's Interior Minister Guenter Beckstein told the daily Taz he supported changing immigration laws and its regulations dealing with the integration of foreigners.
"If someone is jobless and he has a hard time getting a job because he has insufficient German skills, then he should take German courses," he said. "If he doesn't do that, then his benefits have to be cut."
Beckstein also said he was for introducing an immigrant test similar to one introduced in the neighboring state of Baden-Wuerttemberg last month. He said immigrants trying for a German passport should be asked about ties to extremist organizations.
"We have a high interest not to nationalize the wrong people," he said. "The law-abiding Turkish employee often has a much lower interest in getting a German citizenship than an extremist, who is keen on a German passport because he can travel much more freely."
Beckstein, of the conservative Christian Social Union, is considered a hard-liner on immigration.
