16 Nov 2021 10:00 30 years ago

Russia to deport Erich Honecker

This news story first came out 30 years ago to the day, and we are publishing it today as part of Interfax's project, "Timeline of the Last Days of USSR. This Day 30 Years Ago." The project's goal is to reconstruct as fully as possible the timeline of the last few months of 1991 and to give everyone interested in understanding the historical processes of that period the opportunity to study and analyze the events that led to and accompanied the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the new Russian state. The complete timeline can be found in Russian.


Russia's government has decided to deport the former GDR leader, Erich Honecker, RSFSR Justice Minister Nikolai Fyodorov said in an interview with Interfax correspondent Vyacheslav Terekhov.
The minister said the German government had been trying to tackle the problem for more than six months via the Soviet authorities, including the USSR President, but without success, so the German ambassador appealed to the RSFSR Justice Ministry on November 5.

The question was raised at the first session of Russia's new government chaired by President Boris Yeltsin on November 15. It was stated that the USSR administration had violated international law in the matter, as well as the USSR and RSFSR regulations concerning foreigners remaining in the country. In fact, under Clause 83 of the RSFSR penal code Honecker entered its territory illegally and officials who abetted it are criminally responsible.

At the suggestion of the Justice Minister Russia's government has resolved to deport Erich Honecker from the federation. The deadline has not been set.

Asked whether decision was a betrayal of a former ally, the Justice Minister said it was legally correct. Political considerations in this case were a thing of the past. The best policy in any case is to obey the law, Fyodorov said.