Afghanistan live ticker: Interior ministers call for Seehofer entry program for refugees

“Will be able to help many people” – Berlin Mayor Müller wants to support refugees

After the de facto Islamic Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the Berlin Senate is preparing to accept a large number of refugees from the country. “I think it will come our way. Not today and not tomorrow, but maybe in two or three months,” said Governing Mayor Michael Mueller (SPD) on Tuesday. “We won’t be able to help everyone but we Will be able to help many.”

So he has asked the Senate to prepare “that we will again expect more people from this area in Berlin. And we can help them well,” Mueller said. It’s housing, health care, educational proposals. , the language is about the mediators. “It can all be arranged in advance. And it is my aim that we are better prepared for this, at least at the Berlin level.” According to Müller, Berlin gained experience in 2015/2016 when a large number of refugees came to Germany. “I know that all Something didn’t work right away, but the bottom line was that we helped a lot.”

However, it is not entirely clear at the moment how many people will reach the capital in the coming days, weeks or months. According to a spokesperson for the Social Administration, the situation on the site is still very confusing. “We are certainly better prepared to take in refugees,” he said, referring to the large number of refugees in 2015/2016, when the situation in Berlin was at times chaotic. “There is enough space in housing. However, It remains to be seen to what extent the places are needed.” According to the State Office for Refugee Affairs (LAF), there are currently 1,250 places available to accommodate refugees.

According to the LAF, 120 local Afghan workers working for German agencies in the Hindu Kush have arrived in Berlin with their families in the past few weeks. However, he had already traveled to Germany with a visa personally and at his own expense, even before the dramatic developments of the past few days. 60 more people from this group are expected. It is not clear when they will reach Berlin. Apart from such people, other Afghans are now likely to move to Europe.