Germany wants to cut aid to refugees: Will this affect Ukrainians – DW (video)

In Germany, from 2024, payments to all refugees will be reduced in order to reduce the burden on local budgets and reduce the number of immigrants who are not looking for work and live only on benefits. Deutsche Welle reports this.

According to the publication, Germany is reviewing its policy on refugees as many settlements are overloaded with the influx of immigrants. Therefore, the federal government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the premiers of 16 states agreed on a set of measures aimed at changing Germany’s refugee policy.

DW writes that in addition to reducing general social benefits for refugees from the new year, the federal center will pay a total of 7,500 euros for each refugee in Germany.

“It is still unknown whether these changes will affect Ukrainians, because Ukrainian citizens who have arrived since the beginning of the war enjoy the same rights as Germans, not refugees, and are granted under the temporary protection clause,” the media emphasizes.

DW explains that it currently takes an average of 6 to 18 months for an asylum application to be processed. Those who applied after 18 months generally received higher benefits. Now this threshold will be increased to 36 months, the publication writes.

“Until then, a reduced rate of 410 euros (about $440) per month will apply. Benefits such as meals in public housing are compensated,” adds DW.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner emphasizes that the proposed changes, once they come into force, “could reduce the attractiveness of the German state as a welfare state.”

“But this could lead to savings of 1 billion euros, which would ease the burden on the states and municipalities,” wrote X on the social network (Twitter).

Immigration policy in Germany – what is the current situation

No cash payment

Currently, adults living in primary care facilities receive an allowance allowance of up to 150 euros (about $160) per month to buy meals in the community, as well as for personal needs such as a phone card, toiletries or travel tickets. This “allowance” was included in the law and the Constitutional Court ruled that it could not be reduced arbitrarily.

However, a special working group will start implementing payment cards instead of cash payment from 2024. This type of debit cards is also used in other countries such as France. Instead of cash, refugees will be given a card to which social authorities will regularly transfer social aid and which can be used for shopping in supermarkets. However, it is not possible to withdraw cash from the card.

border control

Fixed border controls introduced at the borders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in October will continue for a long time. Refugees who want to come to Germany from other EU countries will be sent back directly to these countries, if possible. For this reason, it is planned to carry out checks before the refugees reach the German border. This has already happened in Poland.

asylum procedures

Asylum procedures will be accelerated by up to six months. Especially EU countries want these procedures to take place outside Europe, for example in Africa. However, there are serious legal problems and doubts about the feasibility of such a proposal.

One-time payment

The one-off payment will be 7,500 euros per refugee per year, regardless of whether the funding comes from the state or the federal government. Approximately 220,000 immigrants have requested asylum so far. However, DW emphasizes that more and more of the 1 million Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war are being registered by the authorities for resettlement in the state.

housing problem

Mayors and district councils across Germany say they no longer know where to settle refugees who are distributed among them according to a fixed distribution formula. Cities and municipalities have long called for housing support, ranging from simplified legal procedures to increased social housing programs. But lack of housing is only one factor. There is also a shortage of administrative staff, and there are not enough places, language courses and counseling services in kindergartens and schools for traumatized refugees.

deportation

At the end of October, the government prepared a bill to increase the number of deportations; There are currently approximately 250,000 people living in Germany whose asylum claims have been rejected. At the same time, according to the broadcast report, authorities cannot track down some people. However, today, 200,000 of these people cannot return to their countries either because there is no country that will accept them, because the country they come from is a war zone, or because they have serious health problems that cannot be treated in their home countries.

Let us remind you that on September 29, it was learned that the European Union extended the temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2025. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Immigration Service has asked other governments not to integrate Ukrainian refugees as they would not want to return to their home country in the future.