Payment card for refugees
“Bayern card” with severe restrictions: Söder wants to take tougher action than other federal states
Watch the video: Low administrative effort thanks to the payment card – can that work?
Video source: rtl.de
When introducing a payment card for asylum seekers, Prime Minister Markus Söder praised his state of Bavaria’s advances. There is harsh criticism of Söder’s plans from the Left Party.
Bavaria wants to restrict cash payments to asylum seekers more quickly and comprehensively than other federal states. The Free State will replace cash payments with benefits in kind using a payment card sooner than others, said Prime Minister Markus Söder to “Bild am Sonntag”.
“Our payment card comes faster and is harder,” said the CSU boss. “While the card is only being advertised elsewhere, we will start testing it in practice in a month.” According to the newspaper, a pilot project is planned in four municipalities.
Payment card in Bavaria only “for a very limited range of goods”
The “Bayern Card” is intended to enable significantly fewer cash withdrawals than is envisaged in other federal states. It should only be able to be used near the accommodation and apply to a very limited range of goods. “Only goods for everyday use can be purchased in shops,” said Söder. “We are stopping online shopping, gambling and transfers abroad. Cash is only available as small pocket money up to 50 euros.”
According to Hesse, 14 of the 16 federal states agreed on standards for a payment card for asylum seekers on Wednesday. In addition to Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is also going its own way. “With the introduction of the payment card, we are reducing the administrative burden on municipalities, preventing the possibility of transferring money from state support to the countries of origin and thereby combating inhumane smuggling crime,” said Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) as chairman of the Prime Minister’s Conference.
Criticism from the Left Party
The Left Party has meanwhile sharply criticized the planned introduction of payment cards for asylum seekers. “I think the payment cards are wrong,” Left leader Janine Wissler told the newspapers of the Editorial Network Germany (RND) on Thursday. “They entail a lot of bureaucratic effort. Furthermore, it is incredibly difficult, especially for small retailers, to implement this.” The cards are also “totally discriminatory and stigmatizing” for those affected, added Wissler. “This is stupid symbolic politics and a distraction debate.”
Green party deputy Andreas Audretsch warned the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post” that payment cards should not lead to “stigmatization, exclusion and hindering the integration of people.” However, states and municipalities are free to introduce a payment card for refugees.