Caring for the Ukrainian refugees in Germany poses similar challenges for the municipalities as they did seven years ago, when large numbers of war refugees came to Germany from Syria.

In Baden-Württemberg, for example, the Ministry of Migration registered 108,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Measured against the short period of entry, that's even more than in autumn 2015. The recording is quieter because most of them are staying privately.

Also, it's mostly women and children, and the cultural gap isn't that big.

Citizens are also more willing to rent apartments to Ukrainians.

Pure burger

Political correspondent in North Rhine-Westphalia.

  • Follow I follow

Ruediger Soldt

Political correspondent in Baden-Württemberg.

  • Follow I follow

Nevertheless, the municipalities still have to shoulder considerable additional costs: the Baden-Württemberg district association has calculated an additional financial requirement of around 720 million euros per year for 35 rural and nine urban districts.

The fact that the Ukrainian refugees are no longer subject to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, but are treated legally like Hartz IV and social assistance recipients from June 1st, results for the districts in a delta of 161 million euros in accommodation costs alone.

The federal government only covers about 70 percent of the costs of accommodation – they are regulated in Book II of the Social Insurance Code.

This means that the counties have to cover almost 30 percent of the accommodation costs themselves.

In Baden-Württemberg, the municipalities have so far often been in the comfortable position of being able to settle the refugee costs with the state “at the top” and not via flat rates.

The change in legal circles from the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act to the Social Security Code calls this into question.

The President of the Baden-Württemberg district council, Joachim Walter (CDU), is demanding that the green-black government assume all of the costs even in this crisis.

“It's not just the accommodation costs that we have to help finance.

It is also the integration assistance, the care assistance and the youth welfare costs that we have to pay proportionately," says Walter.

Follow-up costs for integration

In the southwest, the gross costs for the current refugee reception for state, federal and local authorities are 1.5 billion euros.

With 720 million euros, the municipalities are burdened too much.

"We need to sort this out quickly.

We are already paying,” says Walter of the FAZ. The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance does not want to comment on the demands of the municipalities at the moment, in the next week the state will be negotiating the municipal financial equalization.

In addition, during the refugee crisis of 2015/2016, the federal government paid 670 euros per month and per refugee for the duration of the asylum procedure.

This lump sum does not exist now, instead the federal government is supporting the federal states with an additional two billion euros this year - for the south-west that is 260 million euros.

The distribution of this money has not yet been decided.

From the point of view of the municipalities, it must also be clarified how the follow-up costs of taking in refugees are to be financed.

The expansion of day care centers and schools and social integration will cost a lot of money over the years.

Walter considers a “per capita fee” to be necessary.

The eight million euros in emergency aid for integration were not enough from the point of view of the municipalities.

Helmut Dedy, who is also the managing director of the German Association of Cities and the Association of Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, understands the needs of the municipalities in Baden-Württemberg because their financial situation will deteriorate.

"In North Rhine-Westphalia we have a different situation - the cost compensation by the state for the municipalities is weaker if refugees receive benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.

The fact that the federal government is now paying more for people from Ukraine is a good solution for the cities in North Rhine-Westphalia.”

The cities between the Rhine and Weser also think it's good that the state is passing on all of the federal funds for taking in refugees from Ukraine to the municipalities.

For the current year alone, this is around 430 million euros.

In addition to the costs of accommodation, this also includes a bridging allowance for living expenses and expenses in connection with childcare, schooling, health and care.

In an interview with the FAZ, Dedy points out that it is currently not possible to foresee whether these funds will be sufficient.

"If gaps remain, the federal and state governments have to make up for it," he says.

"We rely on the state's commitment to contribute with its own funds if the federal lump sums are not sufficient."