migration
Payment card for asylum seekers: Do the Greens agree?
14 of 16 federal states have agreed on a joint procurement process to introduce a payment card for asylum seekers. photo
© Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa
Instead of cash for asylum seekers, a payment card without a transfer function: The federal and state governments had agreed on this, and the states have regulated the awarding of contracts. But now there is a problem in the coalition.
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit expects the Greens to adopt federal regulations for the planned payment card Asylum seekers agree. Hebestreit said in Berlin that he assumes that the Greens will support the appropriate formulation help from the Federal Ministry of Labor. This will be decided in the cabinet and then discussed in the Bundestag. “The legal agreement that is at stake is so narrow that I don’t believe that there should be so much dispute.”
The SPD and FDP are in favor of federal regulation. Green politicians from the Bundestag said at the weekend that they saw no need for this. The countries would have all the legal options they need to introduce the card.
For Merz, responsibility for disagreement lies with Scholz
CDU leader Friedrich Merz criticized the lack of unity in the government when it comes to curbing irregular migration. “The Greens are blocking everything they can, including the agreements made in the coalition, which contributes to a quicker solution to this problem.” Merz warned: “As long as the magnet of Germany is not switched off, we will not solve the problem in Germany.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) bears responsibility for this, as he allows decisions not to be fully implemented.
At the end of January, 14 of 16 federal states agreed on a joint procurement process to introduce a payment card for asylum seekers, which should be completed by the summer. Among other things, the card is intended to prevent migrants from transferring money to smugglers or to their family or friends abroad.
Hebestreit said that there was an urgent desire from the state group to make the payment card legally secure and to bring about a narrow change in the law to clarify this. There is now the aforementioned formulation aid.