(GermanPolicy.com) – On Thursday, Chancellor Scholz and the Prime Ministers of the Federal States discussed the distribution of refugees in Germany and the costs involved. Lower Saxony is currently presiding over the Prime Ministers’ Conference. As a spokeswoman for the Lower Saxony State Government announced, the Federal and State Governments will again negotiate the division of funds on 10 May. Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Weil (SPD) insists that the Federal Government get more involved. Other prime ministers have made similar statements.
Federal Finance Minister Lindner (FDP) replied that there are limits to the “possibilities of the Federal Government”. Those seeking protection from Ukraine, for example, received citizenship benefits instead of benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. Additional funds have also been made available for the municipalities, as well as federal housing. The Federal Ministry of the Interior had emphasized beforehand that the responsibility for financing refugees lies with the Federal States, and that those have already been significantly relieved by the allocation of finances from the sales tax.
According to a decision by the State and Senate Chanceries of the Federal States, the Federal Government should resume per capita funding for refugees, according to media reports before the Thursday meeting. This model has, however, been suspended since 2021. Additionally, according to the State and Senate Chanceries, federal funds should be made available as soon as possible, although they have been promised for the budget of the entire year, and could take months to be transferred.
