Southwest needs nine new refugee centers
Baden-Württemberg lacks 9,000 places for newly arriving refugees. According to Justice Minister Marion Gentges (CDU), at least nine new initial reception centers must therefore be built in the southwest in the coming years, as reported by the "Schwäbische Zeitung" (Thursday). The calculations are based on estimates by the federal government. According to these estimates, 210,000 people will come to Germany every year in the medium term to apply for asylum. Baden-Württemberg would have to accommodate around 27,300 of these.
If necessary, Gentges also wants to enforce the construction of such accommodation against the will of the respective municipality. The state currently operates ten initial reception facilities, including one in Sigmaringen and one in Ellwangen. From there, the refugees are then distributed to smaller accommodation facilities organized by districts and municipalities. However, the regular 6300 or so places are overcrowded and the ministry has set up emergency accommodation in exhibition halls, for example. "But these are only temporary solutions," Gentges told the Schwäbische Zeitung newspaper.
Counties, cities and municipalities have been resisting initial reception facilities on their territory for months. A survey conducted by Gentges among the 1101 municipalities in the state in early summer did not yield any usable feedback on suitable properties or areas. For this reason, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) asked the CDU minister to look for solutions to set up such centers without the consent of a municipality. Gentges has now found a model. It is based on current state and federal law, which makes it easier to build refugee accommodation. According to this, the state must seek "consultation" with a municipality - in other words, inform and consult with it. However, agreement, i.e. consent, is not required. "I take what local authorities and citizens say very seriously. Nevertheless, we have to solve this somehow," Gentges told the newspaper.
Baden-Württemberg is legally obliged to take in the people distributed to the federal states by the federal government. Therefore, where the state owns, leases or can buy suitable land, it will set up accommodation without the consent of a local council if in doubt. "Otherwise, the municipality that puts up the loudest resistance will end up benefiting and ultimately block the entire system," the CDU politician continued.
FDP parliamentary group leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke said that those who had not kept their previous promises to the municipalities should not be surprised if the municipalities showed little cooperation. The AfD's migration policy spokesperson, Ruben Rupp, explained that the consequences of the wrong migration policy were becoming increasingly apparent.
Despite the resistance from municipalities, Justice Minister Marion Gentges plans to construct nine new refugee centers in the southwest, addressing the region's shortage of 9,000 places for newly arriving refugees. With around 27,300 refugee placements required in Baden-Württemberg, enforcement of such center construction may be necessary against the will of some municipalities.
Source: www.dpa.com
