BHome Secretary Nancy Faeser has drawn criticism for her refusal to limit the influx of refugees. The SPD politician was also sharply attacked for her statement that it was “strange” that the municipalities were already asking the federal government for more money for the accommodation of migrants in April. Faeser’s statements are scandalous, said the head of the German police union, Heiko Teggatz, of the “Bild” newspaper on Saturday. “No border protection, no upper limit, no money for the municipalities. It’s a dangerous cocktail that’s changing the mood in the country.” He added: “Anyone who has still not recognized that the capacities for accommodation in the cities and municipalities have long been exhausted are obviously suffering from a loss of reality.”
Faeser had said to the Funke media group: “I find it strange that it is already being said – at the beginning of April of this year – that the money for this year is not enough.” For 2023, the federal government gave the states and municipalities 2.75 billion at an early stage promised additional support. In the interview, Faeser refused to limit the number of refugees. Eight out of ten refugees come from Ukraine. “There can be no upper limits for humanity.”
District Administrator Tino Schomann (CDU) from Northwest Mecklenburg told the “Bild” newspaper: “The Federal Minister of the Interior does not see the problems and shows that she is far from reality and leaves the municipalities alone. I call that denial of reality. Humanity knows no borders, but living space and resources do.” He was more than shaken by it. “If the federal government continues to act like this, everything will run even faster into a situation that you can’t catch again so quickly.”
Lindner defends the actions of the federal government
District administrator Jens Marco Scherf (Greens) from Miltenberg also cannot understand the statements made by the interior minister, as he told the “Bild” newspaper: “We have a shortage of housing, daycare centers, schools, language and integration courses – everything is scarce! The bottom line is that Ms. Faeser’s statements knock you off your head. They negate the precarious situation on the ground.” He also cannot understand that the district administrators are not present at the Chancellor’s refugee summit on May 10th. “It really leaves me speechless.”
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) defended the amount of federal funds provided. “The federal government is already giving the states massive support. We have all taken the refugees from Ukraine into the citizen money, which means that the federal government pays for their living expenses, although the federal states are actually responsible,” said the FDP boss of the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post” on Saturday.
Financially, the states are in better shape than the federal government, which had to take on large debts due to the crises and is facing enormous challenges. “In this respect, the federal government should actually ask the federal states for support and not vice versa,” said Lindner. At a federal-state summit with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on May 10th, the refugee costs are to be discussed.