STORY: Press conference on Wednesday in Berlin. The German Association of Towns and Municipalities warns that local authorities will be overwhelmed by the accommodation and integration of refugees. Uwe Brandl, CSU – President of the Association of Towns and Municipalities: “In coping with the diverse refugee movements, we have, and I dare to say so openly, reached the limits of our capabilities. The threat of social acceptance, or social acceptance is threatened with being endangered. We must make an effort to integrate the refugees from the Ukraine, in particular, who are preparing to stay here in the Federal Republic for a longer period of time, into work processes as quickly as possible from accommodation and maintenance to rapid integration and professional integration.” According to the Association of Towns and Municipalities, 1.1 million refugees from Ukraine are registered in Germany. According to a survey, around 40 percent of these people want to stay longer or even permanently in Germany. The Association of Towns and Municipalities therefore says that these people must be given rapid access to the labor market through German courses and recognition of their professional qualifications. The association also sees the need for the federal and state governments to further expand the initial reception options for refugees.