Bundestag President Bärbel Bas has called for greater support for local authorities in accommodating refugees. “There is still a great deal of solidarity among the majority of Germans. But we have to ask ourselves whether the citizens have the staying power in the long term,” the SPD politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
“We now have to give more support to the municipalities that are particularly under pressure when it comes to accommodating refugees. It’s about living space, school places and the question of how cities like my hometown of Duisburg can get their costs reimbursed.” Municipalities should not reallocate funds for the refugees and save on other tasks. “In the municipalities, the citizens notice first when something goes wrong. That’s when it’s most likely to fall apart.”
The municipalities are demanding a long-term strategy for taking in refugees in Germany from the federal and state governments. A federal-state summit with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on refugee costs is planned for May 10th.
