As of: February 6, 2024, 4:49 p.m
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A payment card is shown at a press conference in the district office.
© Bodo Schackow/dpa
The North Rhine-Westphalia state government has signaled to the municipalities possible financial support for the planned payment card for asylum seekers.
“We assume that the introduction will probably be cost-neutral for the municipalities due to savings elsewhere,” a government spokesman told the dpa in Düsseldorf on Tuesday.
Düsseldorf - “If not: Of course the introduction in North Rhine-Westphalia will not fail because of the costs.
The state will support the municipalities if necessary,” he explained.
In this sense, “a joint design in North Rhine-Westphalia will now also be discussed in ongoing discussions with the municipal umbrella associations regarding payment cards”.
The government spokesman emphasized that the state government wanted to enable a nationwide introduction of the payment card and that North Rhine-Westphalia was not taking a special approach.
In a joint working group of federal, state and local leaders at the state and senate chancellery level, it was agreed not to introduce “compulsory affiliation” so that existing and functioning systems in individual districts do not have to be abandoned, he explained about the agreements made.
When asked about the payment card on Monday, the State Chancellery announced that there were no plans for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to cover the costs incurred in the municipalities.
This announcement provoked sharp 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.
dpa