The federal government on the one hand, the states and municipalities on the other – this is how the fronts before the refugee summit on Wednesday are. The states are going into the talks on Wednesday as one and agreed on a joint paper.
The 16 federal states go to the refugee summit with the federal government with coordinated, concrete demands. They are recorded in a paper that was sent to the Federal Chancellery yesterday evening and that is available to several media and news agencies.
It therefore includes, among other things, the requirement that federal payments be based on the number of people admitted. “A financing model is required that is appropriate in terms of amount and adapts to changing refugee numbers (breathing system)”, according to the reports in the paper.
The federal states therefore demand full reimbursement of costs for accommodation and heating for refugees as well as a general monthly per capita flat rate for accommodation and care under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. In addition, the prime ministers want a reliable solution for integration costs and the costs for unaccompanied refugees at the federal-state consultations on Wednesday.
Because: countries see themselves as administrators for the municipalities
According to the Reuters news agency, the paper expressly points out that many municipalities are overwhelmed: “The calls for help and reports of overload from the municipalities, volunteers and other local actors who have done great things under difficult conditions in recent years must be taken seriously.”
The Confederation is responsible for the decisive decisions relating to migration. The municipalities organize the accommodation on site. According to Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil, the federal states see themselves primarily as representing their interests in the current debate. The federal states are not primarily out of self-interest, but see themselves primarily as administrators for the municipalities, said the SPD politician on Monday evening on ZDF.
Government spokesman: The federal government can “only help to a limited extent”
Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for the federal government, had previously emphasized on Monday that the federal government already bears a significant part of the costs for taking in refugees in Germany. “It is true that the municipalities are facing financial challenges,” said Hebestreit. However, the federal states are responsible for their financial situation, direct financial relationships between the federal government and the municipalities are not legally provided for. “In this respect, the federal government can only help to a limited extent.”
On Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive the 16 Prime Ministers at the refugee summit in the Chancellery. With their own paper, the federal states are rejecting advice on the draft submitted by the Chancellery, which primarily refers to the commitments that have already been made. However, the federal and state governments come up with completely different numbers as to how large the allocations in the various pots actually are.
Even within the traffic light coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP, doubts about the government’s course are now being voiced. Green leader Ricarda Lang had on Sunday in Report from Berlin demanded further help from the federal government – and thus sided with the states.