Capacity for refugee intake "almost exhausted," says Giffey

Berlin's Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) sees the capital on the edge of its possibilities when it comes to taking in refugees. "We city-states in particular, and especially Berlin as the main attraction, have almost exhausted our capacities (...) by now," she told the "Bild am Sonntag". 340,000 Ukrainians received first aid in Berlin, and 100,000 are now resident in the capital.

Giffey demanded: "We urgently need more federal real estate to accommodate people well, financial support for the immense costs and fair distribution throughout Germany."

The general manager of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, Gerd Landsberg, told the newspaper that not only resolutions were needed, but concrete measures. The accommodation options are limited. "Hotel rooms are already being rented and collective accommodation, for example in gyms, is being prepared."

City Day President Markus Lewe also called for more support from the federal and state governments in an interview with the newspapers of the Funke media group (Saturday). "Like the federal states, we expect the federal government to adjust the funding for taking in refugees for this year because the number of refugees is increasing," Lewe demanded. In the coming year, too, the federal government must play a significant role in this task for society as a whole. In his view, the federal government should fully cover the accommodation costs for Ukrainian refugees, as was the case in 2015 and 2016.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has warned of a large number of more refugees in view of the recent Russian air raids on his country. "If there is no electricity, no heating, no water in Ukraine, it could trigger a new migration tsunami," he told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper (FAS). Shmyhal accused Russia of wanting to "plunge Ukraine into a humanitarian catastrophe" by attacking its civilian infrastructure. The Ukraine should be given a cold winter in which many people could freeze to death.

In view of this, he asked for “mobile equipment for generating electricity and heat” as well as water treatment plants. There is still enough fuel for the generators "at the moment", "but if there is a large-scale power and heating failure, we will need more". Then his country would also need “electricity imports” from the West. In addition, the Prime Minister asked Germany for rapid further military aid.