German town stops accepting Ukrainian refugees

The large influx of migrants has made it difficult to integrate them into society, the authorities in Pirmasens have claimed

The southern German town of Pirmasens has stopped accepting Ukrainian refugees after greatly exceeding the admission quota, the media outlet Tagesschau reported on Friday, citing the local authorities.

Ukrainian refugees in Germany can choose freely in which city or district they want to live. However, to ensure that municipalities are not overwhelmed, a quota system is in place to regulate the distribution of refugees among the federal states. In the state Rhineland-Palatinate, where Pirmasens is located, any town or city that exceeds the acceptance quota by 40% is officially allowed to reject refugees.

The local quota was exceeded by 82.6% in July, which has led to a “dangerous overburdening” of the town’s society, the Pirmasens administration said in a statement. It added that the steady influx of migrants has been making it difficult to “sustainably” integrate all the newcomers. The halt on admitting new refugees will be in force until further notice, while those turned away will be referred to the nearest initial reception center for distribution within the state.

The decision by Pirmasens comes with certain exceptions, however. For instance, the town will continue to accept Ukrainian refugees who meet the criteria of “having a positive effect on integration,” such as those already with housing, a job, or income that covers living expenses.

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Pirmasens, which is located near the German-French border, has a population of roughly 41,000. According to the local authorities, the city has accepted nearly 900 Ukrainian refugees since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Rhineland-Palatinate has been facing difficulties accommodating Ukrainian refugees. Last month, five out of the state’s seven collective municipalities raised the alarm because their capacities to take new refugees were exhausted.

Germany has been among the top EU destinations for Ukrainian refugees due to generous benefits it offers. Apart from the temporary protection status introduced by the European Council, which grants migrants from Ukraine the right to an extended visa-free stay, accommodation, medical care, employment, and education, Ukrainians in Germany are entitled to a ‘citizen’s benefit’ of €563 ($610) per month – a level of support markedly higher than in other EU states.

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A total of around 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees were residing in Germany as of March of this year, according to official statistics, a figure that represents roughly a quarter of the bloc’s estimated total of 4.3 million. However, according to media reports, local authorities across the country have been urging the federal government to abolish these benefits in order to stop the flow of refugees and persuade newcomers to find jobs and better integrate themselves into German society.