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Angela Merkel pressured trade unions to take on refugees as lorry drivers before the terror attack
Twelve people were killed and 48 others injured when a man suspected of being an asylum seeker and part of the Islamic State terrorist group drove into a Christmas market in the country’s capital.
Up to £84,000 (100,000€) have been offered to find the 23-year-old Tunisian Anis Amri, who is believed to be armed and dangerous.
But as the country mourns the tragedy ahead of the festive season, it was revealed that Merkel had put massive pressure on unions to speed up the process in which unskilled refugees could be trained as lorry drivers.
The German leader said in September companies should “consider hiring and training refugees as lorry drivers” while they are awaiting their asylum procedure as there is a “big shortage of lorry drivers in the country.”
She said that the plan was to get a change in the rules to make it cheaper for them to apply for a licence, with the plan for them to pay just £420 (500€) to swap a Syrian driving licence for a German one.
Unveiling the plan she said: “We all need to be ready to implement practical solutions. We have only recently discussed in the Cabinet the possibilities of allowing a Syrian driving licence to be converted to a German one for 500€.