Refugee flows from Ukraine
Since the beginning of the fighting on February 24, 2022, millions of people from Ukraine have been seeking refuge in the surrounding European countries. The effects of the current war in Ukraine are clearly noticeable in the Free State of Thuringia. Statewide, about 2,500 refugees have been registered so far, he said. However, the total number is currently estimated to be significantly higher, as not all arrivals register immediately. A large influx of refugees has been recorded everywhere in the municipalities, so that the capacity limit in the shared accommodations has been reached.
The mayors of the independent cities of Gera, Jena, Suhl and Weimar, as well as the mayor of the city of Eisenach, are therefore urgently appealing to the Thuringian state government and demanding immediate, unbureaucratic and rapid support from Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow. For example, they say, it would be unacceptable not to accommodate refugees in the state's initial reception facilities if no adequate accommodation is available locally in the municipalities at that time. Together, they call for the creation of state facilities as initial points of contact to support the distribution of refugees within Thuringia in a structured manner.
Gera's mayor, Julian Vonarb, commented: "Thuringia runs the risk of losing control if the municipalities are left alone. It needs clear guidance from the state on leadership roles, processes and distribution keys so that we can offer refugees shelter in an orderly manner. We in Gera are working tirelessly at full speed and in close exchange with the other municipalities to find solutions to deal with the high number of refugees. One thing is certain: This challenging situation can only be solved as a joint task. Within the municipality, we are closely coordinated and well structured. At the state level, there is a lack of any exchange. This worries me, because we are reaching our limits. In the extension to the question of accommodations, other questions of medium-term financial and health care follow. To answer these, the controlling support from the country is imperative".
In Gera, the Ukraine Working Group, an association of the relevant authorities, social institutions and associations, has been coordinating the arrival process and the continuing social care and integration of the Ukrainian population since March 4 under the leadership of the head of the social affairs department.
The mayors thus join the Thuringian Association of Municipalities and Towns, which at the end of last week demanded a refugee summit and the establishment of a crisis team in a letter to Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow.
- City of Gera | Lord Mayor Julian Vonarb
- City of Eisenach | Lord Mayor Katja Wolf
- City of Jena | Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche
- City of Suhl | Lord Mayor André Knapp
- City of Weimar | Lord Mayor Peter Kleine