This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/564791-germany-ukrainian-refugees-privileges/

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
German minister defends Ukrainian refugees’ privileges German minister defends privileges for Ukrainian refugees
(about 11 hours later)
People fleeing the conflict in Ukraine get higher social benefits and can start working right away, unlike other refugees People fleeing the conflict with Russia receive broader social benefits than other asylum seekers
Germany should go on with a policy that automatically grants Ukrainian refugees a stay permit without the need to go through the asylum request processing, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Hubertus Heil said on Saturday. The EU jointly decided in June that Ukrainians would not be required to go through the normal asylum procedures reserved for refugees from all other parts of the world. Germany should continue its policy of automatically granting Ukrainian refugees a stay permit without needing to go through asylum request processing, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Hubertus Heil said on Saturday. The EU decided in June that Ukrainians would not be required to go through the normal procedures for refugees from other parts of the world.
“People are fleeing a terrible war that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin instigated,” Heil told the German Tagesspiegel daily, adding that “there is nothing to take back” from them. “People are fleeing a terrible war that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin instigated,” Heil told German daily Tagesspiegel, adding that “there is nothing to take back” from them.
In Germany, Ukrainian refugees are thus automatically treated like the recipients of Harz IV – a complex system of German social welfare and unemployment benefits, the national media report. That means higher aid payments and an immediate work permit among other things. In Germany, Ukrainian refugees are treated like recipients of Harz IV – a complex system of social welfare and unemployment benefits, German media reports. This means higher aid payments and an immediate work permit, among other things.
Normally, asylum seekers have to go through a complex and multi-stage asylum processing, which can last many months, according to some reports. One such report said that, back in the second quarter of 2020, an average processing time for such an application amounted to 10 months. During that time, an asylum seeker gets lower aid payments under the Asylum-Seekers' Benefits Act and has no right to work in Germany. Normally, asylum seekers have to go through multi-stage asylum processing, which can last many months, according to some reports. One report in the second quarter of 2020 said that the average processing time for this type of application is ten months. During this period, an asylum seeker will receive lower aid payments under the Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act, and has no right to work in Germany.
Exemption granted to Ukrainians benefits both them and the local authorities, Heil argued, adding that basic social benefits are largely covered by the federal government. Yet, Berlin’s policy has seemingly faced resistance at many levels. The exemption granted to Ukrainians benefits both them and the local authorities, Heil said, adding that basic social benefits are largely covered by the federal government. Nevertheless, Berlin’s current policy has apparently faced resistance at several levels.
The leader of the largest opposition party – the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – Friedrich Merz blamed the authorities for encouraging what he called “social tourism” on the part of Ukrainians. The “refugees” had been supposedly traveling back and forth between Germany and Ukraine they had allegedly fled, he claimed in late September. The leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, accused the authorities of encouraging what he called “social tourism” on the part of Ukrainians. The “refugees” have been traveling back and forth between Germany and Ukraine, which they had supposedly fled, he claimed in late September.
Heil brushed off these comments by saying they only “poison” the political and social climate. “We are currently experiencing the largest refugee influx since WWII and have managed to help hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine,” the minister said. Heil dismissed these comments, saying they only “poison” the political and social climate. “We are currently experiencing the largest refugee influx since WWII and have managed to help hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine,” he said.
Yet, the local authorities that are expected to be relieved through this policy, do not appear to be particularly supportive of it as well. According to Reinhard Sager, the head of the German municipalities association, such measures send the wrong signal. Eventually, it would only lead to an even higher refugee influx to Germany, he argued. However, according to Reinhard Sager, the head of the German municipalities association, these measures send the wrong signal, and in the end will only lead to an even higher influx of refugees.
In early October, heads of some two dozen municipalities in the southwestern state of Baden-Wurttemberg warned that German cities and towns were already overwhelmed with asylum seekers amid a massive influx from Ukraine. In early October, the heads of around two dozen municipalities in the southwestern state of Baden-Wurttemberg warned that German cities and towns are already overwhelmed with asylum seekers amid the influx from Ukraine.
Human rights organizations also criticized Berlin for singling out Ukrainians and granting poorer status to other refugees, Germany’s Tagesschau news outlet reports. The number of Ukrainian refugees living in Germany surpassed the one million mark at the end of September, according to the Interior Ministry. Human rights organizations have also criticized Berlin for singling out Ukrainians and granting lower status to other refugees, German news outlet Tagesschau reports. The number of Ukrainian refugees living in Germany surpassed the 1 million mark at the end of September, according to the Interior Ministry.