Municipalities are voicing concerns regarding the potential financial burden of transitioning Ukrainian refugees from welfare benefits. According to the German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB), local authorities lack the financial capacity to manage the associated costs if refugees were moved off of citizen’s income (Bürgergeld) and placed under the Asylum Seeker Benefits Act.
DStGB President Ralph Spiegler, speaking to partner newspapers of the Neue Berliner Redaktionsgesellschaft, emphasized the need for complete and sustained financial relief from the federal and state governments. He stated that a mere cost-sharing arrangement would be insufficient.
While the DStGB generally supports Ukrainian refugees receiving asylum seeker benefits, the organization highlights the importance of preventing administrative overload for municipalities and avoiding the necessity for reversals of these benefit distributions. A shift from citizen’s income to the Asylum Seeker Benefits Act, accompanied by a transfer of responsibility between different government agencies, is deemed unproductive due to the considerable administrative effort it would entail.
Spiegler, who also serves as mayor of the Verbandsgemeinde Nieder-Olm, advocated for intensified efforts focused on integrating Ukrainian refugees into the workforce more rapidly than previously achieved. He underscored that prioritizing employment opportunities remains a crucial element in managing the ongoing support provided to displaced individuals.