Thuringia prepares introduction of payment card

Migration - Thuringia prepares introduction of payment card

According to the State Chancellery,Thuringia is beginning preparations to introduce a uniform state-wide payment card for asylum seekers. This is to take place in cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior and local authorities, the state chancellery announced in Erfurt on Tuesday. A working group is planned together with the municipal umbrella organizations. It should also take into account the experiences of local authorities that have recently been testing their own models. These are the districts of Greiz and Eichsfeld. Initial talks are to take place at the beginning of January.

"I want to move away from cash to non-cash", announced Minister President Bodo Ramelow (Left Party) last week at the Thuringian County Association. "We know that cash is here to stay." However, a nationwide regulation is important to him, said the Left Party politician.

According to the state chancellery, Thuringia will now take part in the cross-state award procedure for the payment card. This was agreed by the state premiers at the beginning of November. This concerns benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, which were previously usually paid out in cash.

In the meantime, the federal states have agreed on uniform minimum standards for the cards and the service providers, according to a statement from the State Chancellery. A Europe-wide tender for the payment card will probably have to take place.

According to the President of the State Administration Office, Frank Roßner, there are pragmatic reasons in favor of a card. "If I pay out money once in Suhl with the occupancy figures we have now, it means that our people have to prepare 1400 envelopes with money," Roßner said last week. The effort involved is immense. In addition, there are sometimes limits for transporters of cash, not all providers can transport such large sums. There are also security issues on site.