As of: February 3, 2024, 8:00 a.m
By: Wolfgang Krzizok
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Demanding better standards: CSU local chairwoman Janine Altheimer (r.) and her deputy Monika Kohlmüller at the CSU morning pint.
© Burkhard Köppen
Lively discussion.
The Erdinger CSU is skeptical about the EU asylum reform in its morning pint and sees little improvement for municipalities.
Erding – Accommodating refugees also poses major challenges for municipalities.
That's why a topic that is actually currently being discussed at European level was hotly discussed locally at the Erdinger CSU's morning pint.
A lively discussion took place in the Gasthaus Kreuzeder on the topic of EU asylum reform.
The speakers, CSU local chairwoman Janine Altheimer and her deputy Monika Kohlmüller, outlined the current asylum law.
The two lawyers explained that applications have been steadily increasing since Corona.
In Germany alone, around 351,000 applications were submitted in 2023, which is around a third of all applications submitted in Europe.
A third of these are initial applications.
They should actually be placed where European soil is set foot for the first time.
“Since most refugees come via the Balkan route or the Mediterranean, it can never actually be Germany,” said Altheimer.
As far as the EU reform is concerned, there should be procedures at external borders for people who come from countries with little prospect of protection, i.e. that have a recognition rate of less than 20 percent.
The procedure and deportation should then be completed in a total of six months.
But there is a need for “obligatory solidarity” within the EU when a country is overloaded, say the lawyers.
The third point of the reform is “that rejected asylum seekers could be deported to safe third countries if there is a connection,” explained Kohlmüller.
However, it is not entirely clear what a “connection” is.
And finally, what is a safe third country?
Germany wants to set high standards here, such as functioning health and school care and sufficient resources.
Overall, the reform should ensure that standards in Europe are as uniform as possible and the benefits should also be the same - staggered according to purchasing power.
The two CSU chairmen agree that the reform is fundamentally a good idea, “but it will take some time before it becomes effective.”
One thing is certain: “There will be no quick relief for the municipalities at the moment.”
Above all, one must ensure that one switches from cash to the principle of benefits in kind in order to prevent secondary migration.
“We currently have 3,300 refugees in the district, 1,300 of whom are Ukrainians who will immediately receive citizen’s money,” reported Kohlmüller and continued: “We have 197 accommodations in the district, 74 of which are in the city.” A murmur went through the listeners when they added: “We have 60 staff positions in the district office, 40 of which are full-time positions that only look after refugees.”
The other EU countries are actually obliged to take in more refugees.
One problem is that the standards within the EU differ significantly, said Kohlmüller when asked.
It would therefore be important that certain standards are enforced across the EU.” And Altheimer emphasized: “The challenge is enormous.”
In the discussion, Klaus Stanzel-Deffner cited Denmark as an example.
“The people only get about half of the benefits that we do, and if they are rejected, they only get three meals a day.” Ursula Gnader demanded: “People have to work, the children absolutely have to be integrated because we will need them later .” It is important: “The refugees must not be bored.”
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Burkhard Köppen addressed another topic that is currently affecting the district, namely “the great incentives for people to create accommodation for refugees by repurposing hotels, for example.
Something has to change there too.” Herbert Lindmayer said that the rents for this are currently twice the rent index: “There is no better deal than this at the moment,” he stated, but he did not condemn the investors: “I would do it too make."
Wolfgang Miedl said that as a state you could definitely demand something: “Refugee, we will help you, but you also have to do something for the state.” He fears: “If we continue like this, our system will go down the drain.” And Köppen warned urgently of a “division in society”.
Altheimer emphasized: “Assimilating is the wrong way, but we have to integrate.” And finally she remarked with a smile: “Now we’ve strayed a bit from the topic, but that’s what the morning pint is for.”