Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) has promised the municipalities further relief in view of the influx of refugees. "It is a first step and this first step will be followed very quickly by further steps," Woidke said on Wednesday after a refugee summit between the government and the municipalities in Potsdam. A working group will continue to discuss this.
Potsdam - Germany bears the greatest burden in Europe when it comes to taking in refugees. "There have to be better solutions." More money from the federal government is needed – that is a topic at the Minister-Presidents' Conference next week.
Previously, the state government had promised that 450 fewer refugees per month would come to municipalities by staying longer in the initial reception. From 1 July, only people with the prospect of staying are to be distributed among the municipalities. There should be the best framework conditions for more school and daycare construction, said Woidke.
The municipalities still see unanswered questions, but also positive signals. "Yes, it was recognized that there is a need for investment," said the President of the Association of Cities and Municipalities, Wittenberg's Mayor Oliver Hermann (non-party), with a view to schools and daycare centers. "Of course, we would have liked a certain sum to be mentioned, which would then be distributed and which would reach the cities and municipalities."
The chairman of the district council, Oberspreewald-Lausitz district administrator Siegurd Heinze (independent), said he expected the influx of refugees to be reduced. The federal government is responsible for this. He described his mood after the refugee summit as "fundamentally satisfied". Both rated the pledge to relieve the burden on municipalities positively.
The number of newly arrived refugees this year is significantly lower than expected: By the end of May, about 5000,26 refugees had been registered in Brandenburg's initial reception, reported State Secretary for Social Affairs Antje Töpfer in the Social Affairs Committee of the state parliament. The question of whether the previously set admission target for districts and independent cities of almost 000,<> people will be revised downwards is currently being discussed in the Ministry of the Interior.
Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) had announced that the capacities in the country's three initial reception facilities would be increased by 1500 places in containers this year and later by a possible further 1500 places. The other places should not be created in the three locations of the initial reception, said Stübgen. The SPD had also demanded this in the state parliament. Dpa
