Erfurt (dpa/th) – The party leaders of the Left, SPD and Greens in Thuringia have spoken out in a joint statement against mass accommodation for refugees. The initial reception facility in Suhl and planned branch offices were used to arrive, “but cannot be a permanent solution,” explained Christian Schaft (Left), Georg Maier (SPD) and Bernhard Stengele (Greens) on Saturday. “In our view, the right way is decentralized accommodation in apartments and not permanent residence in mass accommodation or sports halls,” the statement said.
They were reacting to the debate that had been going on for months about insufficient accommodation options, especially for war refugees from Ukraine, in state properties and by the municipalities. The municipalities see their capacities largely exhausted and are arguing with the state about financing the refugee costs.
Thuringia must remain a cosmopolitan state, appealed the three chairmen of the governing parties. Those responsible in the state and municipalities must work together to ensure that the refugees are housed and cared for humanely. “We don’t think tents are appropriate living quarters.” Elsewhere in the statement, it says, “”The boat is full” rhetoric must not dictate action on the ground and in the country”.
Among other things, the establishment of a joint staff unit for the responsible ministries and authorities was required. The establishment of a state office for migration must follow. It is correct to use a share of at least 12.5 million euros from federal funds for refugees in 2023 to create living space.
Shank, party leader of the left, explained that “we want to make it easier for people to arrive and participate, and to remove hurdles”. Maier, who is also SPD interior minister, called the organizational and financial support of the municipalities a central task. Green leader Stengele explained that people who came as asylum seekers via the so-called Balkan route must also be able to arrive safely.
