As of: 03/21/2022 4:33 p.m
The willingness to help is great, but the growing number of refugees is becoming a challenge for the country’s authorities. How does the admission work, what problems are there with the registration – and what about the financing?
How many people are coming – and how many are expected?
Officially, the federal police have registered around 225,000 war refugees since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine. But nobody knows the exact number. Ukrainians are allowed to enter the country without a visa, and there are no fixed border controls. Some come with their own car, some are picked up by car from friends or relatives from Germany – for example in Warsaw. The arrivals also include non-Ukrainian citizens who have lived in Ukraine, such as refugees, students and migrant workers.
Ukrainians are initially allowed to stay in Germany for 90 days without a visa. This period was extended to 180 days, possibly also to prevent administrative bottlenecks. This means that those who do not take advantage of state aid remain under the radar for the time being. This makes it difficult to provide precise information on the number of people entering the country.
Forecasts by the federal government assume one million refugees, reported the “Bild”. Union parliamentary group leader Johann Wadephul considers the number to be too low. “I expect a multiple of that for Germany. That’s why we have to prepare much better,” said the CDU politician to the newspaper.
The deputy chairman of the federal police union, Manuel Ostermann, pointed out in “Bild TV” that there was “a delay in registering people with the municipalities of four to six weeks” before the actual figures were available. “The federal government will still be surprised about the dimensions we are talking about here. That is still taboo,” he criticized.
For comparison: In the years 2015/2016, a total of around 1.2 million asylum applications were registered in Germany, the largest At that time, the population group among the applicants were Syrians.
According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the Russian war against Ukraine has so far forced a total of ten million people to flee – 3.4 million of them fled to other countries. Around two million people have arrived in Poland alone so far.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock estimates that the EU would have to take in eight million refugees.
What is the problem with registration?
Ukrainian refugees are initially given protection for one year. It can be extended to up to three years. Unlike Syrians, for example, they do not have to go through a protection procedure, and they do not need a visa when entering the country. Therefore there is no complete recording.
However, some of the arrivals have already reported to the immigration authorities at their destination: for example to receive state support or so that the children can go to school. Registration with the authority is also necessary for everyone who wants to work.
In the past few days, the BAMF has sent equipment and personnel to cities like Berlin, where a particularly large number of refugees arrive. The Nuremberg authorities should help to ensure that those arriving are registered: photos are taken and fingerprints are taken. The BAMF provides administrative assistance with around 160 electronic registration stations and more than 200 employees, writes the “Welt”.
However, the so-called PIK stations for taking and comparing fingerprints are in short supply. Bundesdruckerei cannot deliver any further devices. The last devices had been issued in the past few days. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, a new appointment usually takes up to three months, the newspaper reported.
Federal police trade unionist Ostermann calls for consistent border controls. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group also criticizes the lack of registration. “The federal government must finally switch to action mode, organize consistent registration and distribution in Europe, guarantee the protection of women and children and enable integration,” said CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt of the “Rheinische Post”. There is a risk of losing control if the number of refugees increases.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz made a similar statement. “The federal government obviously underestimated that. We have to know who’s coming,” Merz told the Berlin “Tagesspiegel”.
Saxony’s Social Affairs Minister Petra Köpping called on helpers to report children and young people who have fled Ukraine to the youth welfare office. The admission of refugee minors requires registration in any case. This primarily serves the well-being of the child, the ministry said.
What about the recording capacities?
Currently, between 12,000 and 15,000 refugees from Ukraine reach Germany every day, mainly women, children and the elderly. In some places, however, it gets tight. Also because the number of asylum seekers from other countries has recently risen slightly again and the arrival of the Afghan refugees after the takeover of power by the radical Islamic Taliban was only a few months ago.
In Berlin, for example, where a particularly large number of war refugees arrive, an arrival center with sleeping accommodations was set up at the old Tegel Airport with support from the federal government. A nationwide overview of the intake of Ukraine refugees in the individual federal states has not yet been published.
Does the distribution of refugees work?
The federal government has responded to the demands of the federal states and is planning to distribute the Ukraine refugees according to the so-called Königstein key, which is based on population size and tax revenue. However, those who live permanently with relatives can decide for themselves where they stay. In order to relieve Berlin and other large cities on the main railway lines, buses and special trains are now used. On Sunday took a Arrivals center on site of the disused Tegel Airport started operations. Refugees are to be registered and distributed there.
A central hub for the nationwide distribution of people was also set up at the trade fair station in Hanover-Laatzen. Trains with refugees arrive here every day. The city also set up two halls with tent villages on the exhibition grounds. According to the information, one of the halls is currently almost completely occupied with around 1000 people. Another hub is said to be in Cottbus.
Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow advocated accommodating more refugees in rural areas. “I am convinced that looking after refugees in the vicinity of rural areas is more possible than in the anonymity of the cities,” said the left-wing politician to the editorial network Germany. NRW Refugee Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP) suggested in the “Welt” an examination “whether it is possible to build larger-scale facilities in the less populated regions in the east”.
There is currently no EU-wide distribution plan. Foreign Minister Baerbock wants to advocate for a distribution at the meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers. “Many, many more people will come. We will have to distribute from the European external border,” she said. She voiced them for an international airlift. Canada has already offered to take in refugees.
How does the assumption of costs work?
Refugees are entitled to housing, clothing, food and healthcare. The integration courses are also open to them. However, it is not obligatory for war refugees to take part in German language, history and culture classes. However, the federal and state governments have not yet agreed on who will bear which costs.
The federal government has admitted that it shares some financial responsibility. However, details are not to be discussed until April 7th.