The Bavarian state government is again urgently demanding that the federal government coordinate better in the distribution and transport of refugees from Ukraine within Germany. Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) complained after a video switch by the cabinet on Tuesday that buses were repeatedly announced in the Free State, which then did not arrive. At the weekend alone, there were ten to 20 buses. In the meantime, the federal government has announced that in future a person will be sent to every bus to keep in touch with the helpers on site. “If that’s how it’s implemented, that would be good.” At the moment the situation is unsatisfactory. “The helpers are ready to welcome the people and nobody comes,” said Herrmann. This then leads to increasing frustration.
According to Herrmann, since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, 74,000 refugees from Ukraine have arrived in Bavaria up to and including Monday – that corresponds to 32 percent of the nationwide figures (232,000). Several thousand of the people who have arrived in Bavaria are currently living with private individuals, but not all are registered, the minister said. Another 24,000 are currently housed in state and municipal accommodation. According to the current status, at least 20,000 more places would be prepared there, Herrmann reported. According to information from government circles in Berlin, around 4,000 other people were to be taken to various places in Germany in 77 buses on Tuesday. 21 trips were planned to Bavaria alone. More than half of the buses should start in Berlin.
After talking to welfare organizations, Herrmann announced that the number of counseling services for refugees would be increased. If possible, as early as next week there should be a concept on how refugee and integration advice in the Free State can be expanded quickly. Herrmann rejected demands that refugees from Ukraine should receive higher social benefits than provided for in the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, such as Hartz IV. In a European comparison, this would be much more than average, so that there would be a risk that refugees without contacts in other EU countries could decide to stay in Germany for this reason alone.
Head of the State Chancellery Florian Herrmann (CSU) also demanded that refugee accommodation should finally be coordinated from the Chancellery. The traffic light government must finally act when it comes to registering and distributing people seeking protection. “It must work.” In addition, Herrmann confirmed that the federal government must also meet its obligations when it comes to financing.
The Minister of the Interior also announced on Tuesday that according to previous data, six percent of those arriving in Bavaria were not Ukrainian citizens; Experience reports had recently spoken more frequently about foreign students in Ukraine, and there are probably a few free riders from other regions of the world. In doing so, Herrmann indirectly contradicted the AfD, which recently tried to give the impression that a considerable number or even the majority of the refugees were “African pseudo-Ukrainians”.