Status: 06.03.2022 10:30 a.m
Germany wants to take in all refugees from Ukraine, regardless of their nationality. In addition, there will be no upper limit for admission, said Interior Minister Faeser, according to a media report.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) has promised to take in refugees from Ukraine regardless of their nationality. “We want to save lives. It doesn’t depend on the passport,” said Faeser of “Bild am Sonntag”.
“The vast majority of the refugees are Ukrainians. People from other countries who already had a permanent right of residence in Ukraine bring this status with them,” she explained. “They don’t have to go through a complicated asylum procedure either. For example, we see that young Indians who have studied in Ukraine want to return to their homeland as quickly as possible.”
All EU countries accept refugees
Faeser also emphasized that there would be no upper limit for taking in Ukrainian refugees: “For the first time, all EU countries are taking in war refugees, especially our eastern neighbors. This is a completely different situation than we have had in Europe before.” The most important thing now is “the best possible distribution and supply”. Then the question of overburdening individual states does not arise.
Faeser called the European cooperation in the care of Ukrainian refugees “historic”. “I hope that this solidarity will also help us with the next steps towards a common asylum system,” said Faeser.
No “loss of control” like in 2015
There will be no “loss of control” on entry like in 2015, the minister added: “Of course we are now taking a closer look at who is coming to Germany. The federal police have intensified controls at the borders. This means we can also register people more quickly. But one thing is also clear: now we want to help quickly and unbureaucratically.”
In order to offer the Ukrainians the most unbureaucratic protection possible, the European Union put a directive into force for the first time on Friday for the case of a “mass influx” of displaced persons. The protection for people from Ukraine is therefore initially for one year, but can be extended by a total of two more years. A lengthy asylum procedure is not necessary. Those seeking protection have a direct right to social benefits, education, housing and a work permit.
UNHCR: 1.5 million refugees
More and more people are trying to flee abroad to escape the fighting in Ukraine. The UN refugee agency UNHCR expects that 1.5 million refugees will be reached this weekend. According to UNHCR estimates, it could be up to four million by July. Most people come to neighboring Poland, and many also flee to Romania and Slovakia.