Arrival at Frankfurt Airport: Police officers register Ukrainian refugees who have been flown in from Moldova.
Image: EPA
Before Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with the heads of the municipalities, there was criticism of the allocation of Ukraine refugees. A better distribution is called for, but the figures from the authorities are insufficient.
WWhen it comes to taking in refugees from the Ukraine, there is currently a tremendous willingness to help and flexibility in the municipalities and districts, but there is also quite a bit of chaos. Above all, the registration and distribution of people has so far been anything but smooth. Nobody knows when and how many people will arrive, nor how many are already there. Nevertheless, it is distributed somehow. So there is a lot to talk about when Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and representatives of several ministries meet with the municipal umbrella organizations this Friday afternoon.
The confusion is initially due to the residence status of the Ukraine refugees. Because they can travel wherever they want. You do not need a visa in the Schengen area. People come in a variety of ways. Some stay, others move on at some point. Many find private accommodation and report to the authorities, while others do not at first. Many Ukrainians are drawn to the big cities in particular. To Berlin, for example, but also to Frankfurt. According to estimates by the city’s social department, at least 5,500 Ukrainian refugees have found accommodation there, probably more. Around one third is housed in municipal facilities, around two thirds privately. The situation is similar elsewhere.