‘You will be able to help many’ – Berlin Mayor Müller wants to support refugees
After the Islamist Taliban movement effectively took power in Afghanistan, the Senate in Berlin is preparing to accept large numbers of refugees from the country. “I think that will come our way. Not today, not tomorrow, but maybe in two or three months,” Governor Michael Mueller (SPD) said on Tuesday. “We won’t be able to help everyone, but we will be able to help. many.”
And so he asked the Senate to prepare “because again we expect more people from this area in Berlin. And with that we can help them very well,” Mueller said. It’s about housing, healthcare, educational offerings, and language brokers. All this can be arranged in advance. And my goal is to be better prepared for this, at least at the level of Berlin. “According to Müller, Berlin gained experience in 2015/2016 when a large number of refugees came to Germany. “I know that not everything worked out right away, but the bottom line is that we helped a lot.”
However, it is currently not entirely clear how many people will find their way to the capital in the coming days, weeks or months. A spokeswoman for the social department said the situation at the site was still very perplexing. “We are certainly more prepared to receive refugees,” she said, referring to the large number of refugees in 2015/2016, when the situation in Berlin was sometimes chaotic. “There is enough space in the accommodations. However, it remains to be seen to what extent there is a need for places.” According to the State Office for Refugees (LAF), there are currently 1,250 places available to accommodate refugees.
According to the Lebanese Army, 120 local Afghan workers who worked with German agencies in the Hindu Kush have arrived in Berlin with their families in the past few weeks. However, they had already traveled to Germany individually and at their own expense on a visa before the dramatic developments of the past few days. Up to 60 people are still expected to arrive from this group of people. It is unclear when they will arrive in Berlin. In addition to these people, other Afghans are now likely to make their way to Europe.
