Dreyer also wants to develop solutions at the refugee summit
The Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer (SPD), has called for the issue not to be limited to finances ahead of this Monday's refugee summit. "These are important, but we also need to talk about solutions, because there are also solutions," the SPD politician told the German Press Agency in Mainz. "It is undisputed that many municipalities are at the limit with accommodation. It is also undisputed that the mood among the population is very unsettled," emphasized the head of government.
It was also important to the municipal umbrella organizations "that we also find a better solution with the federal government on the issue of financing". This will not be easy for the Minister Presidents, "but we have a common goal", Dreyer emphasized.
"At our preliminary meeting, we also sought scientific advice from a migration researcher from the University of Hildesheim, because it is important to me that we work on solutions based on facts and evidence," reported Dreyer, citing examples from her federal state. For example, Rhineland-Palatinate has more than doubled its refugee reception capacity from 3,300 to almost 8,000 places since February 2022 and distributed fewer refugees to the municipalities than arrived over a longer period of time.
"This gave the municipalities time to build up their own accommodation capacities." Municipalities hosting a reception facility receive financial support, with a total of almost 1.5 million euros in 2022 and 1.6 million euros in the current year. "We have a permanent police presence in all of our facilities," reported Dreyer. A "migration task force" ensures security in cooperation with the local police inspectorates in the reception facilities and also in the surrounding municipalities.
"We have a central immigration authority for the immigration of skilled workers, where we bundle expertise for rapid processing," reported Dreyer. And: "In addition to the language courses funded by the federal government, we are using our state courses "Sprachziel: DEUTSCH" to ensure that all refugees learn our language quickly so that they can integrate well and also so that they can start work as quickly as possible."
However, the federal government has also implemented far-reaching demands from the federal states in a short space of time in order to limit the movement of refugees: The reintroduction of border controls at the eastern borders and "a whole bundle of laws" for faster deportation and faster labor market integration, Dreyer cited as examples.
In Frankfurt in October, the minister presidents of all parties had agreed on a "very far-reaching package of measures to regulate and finance the movement of refugees in Germany in a constructive and solution-oriented manner". Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had also already campaigned in September for a cross-party pact for Germany in order to tackle the major challenge together. "Anyone who fails to recognize this is not interested in a solution, but in a political dispute, but the situation is too serious for that and the mood in the country is too charged," criticized Dreyer.
The Minister President highlighted the need to discuss not only financial aspects but also solutions at the refugee summit, as many municipalities are at their limit with accommodations and the public mood is unsettled. Furthermore, addressing the issue of finances, Dreyer mentioned that it's essential for municipal umbrella organizations to find a better solution with the federal government.
Source: www.dpa.com
