As of: February 6, 2024, 2:28 p.m
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A payment card is shown at a press conference in a district office in Thuringia.
© Bodo Schackow/dpa
After the surprising announcement by the state government that the municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia should decide on the introduction of the planned payment card for asylum seekers and bear the costs, the SPD in the NRW state parliament is demanding clarification.
In a small inquiry, the largest opposition faction wants to know when the state government discussed the introduction of a payment card in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Düsseldorf - She also points out that it is about implementing a decision by the Prime Minister's Conference.
The dpa received the questions on Tuesday.
“To what extent does the state government see a contradiction between the uniform nationwide introduction formulated by the Prime Minister and the non-comprehensive introduction in North Rhine-Westphalia now planned by the state government?” is another question from SPD MPs Christian Dahm and Justus Moor.
The SPD is also demanding information from the black-green state government as to whether a legal basis is required for the nationwide introduction of payment cards in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The SPD parliamentary group accused Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) of demanding the payment card.
The state government obviously wants nothing to do with the implementation.
The FDP parliamentary group also reproached Wüst: “In Berlin he loudly demanded it, in North Rhine-Westphalia it is not being implemented across the board - Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst is taking a risky swing when it comes to the payment card for refugees.”
As the State Chancellery announced on Monday when asked about the payment card, there will be no “compulsory connection” for the municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
There are no plans for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to cover the costs incurred by the municipalities.
This announcement provoked criticism from the Association of Cities and Municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia and the Association of Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
If the federal and state governments decide to introduce a payment card, they would have to cover the entire cost, the associations emphasized.
They spoke out in favor of a nationwide introduction; it was important to prevent a patchwork quilt.
With the introduction of the payment card, asylum seekers will in future receive part of the state benefits as credit and no longer as cash.
At the end of January, 14 of 16 federal states agreed on a joint procurement process that should be completed by the summer.
Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are going their own way, but also want to introduce a payment card.
Among other things, the card is intended to prevent refugees from transferring money to their family or friends abroad.
“In my view, this is a very important step to reduce incentives for illegal migration to Germany,” said the Hessian Prime Minister and Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Conference, Boris Rhein (CDU), at the end of January.
dpa