In the opinion of the German Association of Cities, the federal government should provide its own accommodation in the future in order to be able to take in refugees at short notice. It is correct when Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) states that more capacity must be created quickly to take in more refugees, said the chief executive of the municipal umbrella organization, Helmut Dedy, of the German Press Agency.
However, the federal government must also play its part here. “He should build up his own accommodation capacities for initial admission in order to relieve the burden on states and municipalities when there are high numbers of people entering the country,” he suggested. Because in many places there are hardly any municipal buildings or areas to convert them into accommodation or to set up new residential containers there.
Do not distribute people with no prospects of staying to municipalities
Faeser announced at the refugee summit in February that it would also prepare federal properties for the accommodation of refugees. But that could only be a start, Dedy said. “In addition to the federal government, the states must also create more of their own accommodation options,” demanded the chief executive of the city association. “Because money alone won’t help the municipalities,” he added.
More places would also have to be provided in the initial reception facilities of the federal states. Asylum seekers with no prospects of staying, who will have to leave Germany again in the foreseeable future, should not be distributed to the municipalities in the first place.
From the City Day’s point of view, the federal and state governments should also give the municipalities money if they have “reserve places” ready for newcomers. “We have to get out of emergency mode and need planning security,” said Dedy. It is nonsensical if, due to cost pressure, accommodation that is not occupied and which might be needed again a few weeks later has to be dismantled.
“Dashboard” is intended to display current information
At a meeting between Faeser and representatives of the federal states and municipalities on February 16, a “dashboard” on migration was announced, which is intended to ensure “transparency” down to the district level. “The dashboard should contain aggregated and anonymous data, in particular on refugees from Ukraine and on asylum and flight events,” said a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
As can be seen from a letter from the ministry to the users of the data collection, current information on unauthorized entries and the distribution of asylum seekers within Germany should also be displayed.
