German city doesn’t accept Ukrainian migrants anymore

(MENAFN) The town of Pirmasens in southern Germany has announced a suspension of its acceptance of Ukrainian migrants, following a significant overshoot of its designated quota. According to a report by Tagesschau, local authorities revealed that Pirmasens, located in the Rhineland-Palatinate state, had exceeded its migrant intake quota by 82.6 percent in July, leading to what they describe as a "dangerous overburdening" of the town's resources.

In Germany, Ukrainian migrants have the option to choose their preferred city or district for relocation. To manage the distribution and prevent overwhelming any single municipality, a quota system is implemented. This system allows towns and cities to refuse further migrant intake if their quota is exceeded by more than 40 percent. Given that Pirmasens's acceptance surpassed this threshold, the town has exercised its right to halt further admissions until further notice.

The local administration justified this decision by citing difficulties in integrating the influx of migrants sustainably. While new arrivals will be redirected to the nearest initial reception center for redistribution within the state, there are exceptions to the suspension. Pirmasens will still welcome Ukrainians who demonstrate conditions that contribute positively to integration, such as having secure housing, employment, or sufficient financial means.

Pirmasens, situated near the German-French border, has a population of approximately 41,000. Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the town has taken in nearly 900 Ukrainian refugees. The broader state of Rhineland-Palatinate has been grappling with challenges in accommodating refugees, with several municipalities recently reporting that their capacity to accept new migrants has been exhausted.

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