The refugee crisis "will radically change our politics and set new priorities," said Chancellor Angela Merkel at a presentation of prizes in the Federal Chancellery. She stressed that the root causes of the problem must be addressed above all.
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At the presentation of prizes for this year’s young scientist of the year competition ("Jugend forscht"), Chancellor Angela Merkel took the opportunity to address young people on the matter of migration and asylum. "Today we are faced by many global trends – climate change, dwindling resources and population growth. As a result more and more countries are facing the same challenges. We are learning, slowly but surely, to think in global dimensions."
The Chancellor sees the need to address the root causes of migration as one of Germany’s priority tasks. "We cannot solve all problems in Germany. We must work much more intensively in the crisis affected countries and regions, and we must provide more money."
The number of refugees around the world today is higher than at any time since the Second World War, reported the Chancellor. "Every age has its own challenges," she said.
Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière also commented on the rising numbers of refugees arriving in Germany. "Over the last four days we have seen 8,000, 9,000, 10,000 arriving every day." September will be a "record-breaking month" said Thomas de Maizière, after the Cabinet adopted a legislative package to amend the country’s asylum law on 29 September.
The minister said he would not be able to provide reliable figures until after the end of the month. There are currently uncertainties in determining figures, because a not insignificant number of refugees escape registration or, in spite of being registered, move on to other places, which results in duplicated registrations, explained Thomas de Maizière.
On Tuesday 29 September the Cabinet agreed on numerous amendments to asylum law, in an effort to address the refugee situation in Germany. The package provides for speeding up asylum procedures and returning asylum-seekers whose requests have been rejected more swiftly.
To get the rising numbers under control, Thomas de Maizière has suggested in an interview with the Berlin radio station RBB-Inforadio (on 30 September) that procedures akin to the existing airport procedures be introduced.
"We must implement two EU directives; the Reception Directive and the Asylum Procedures Directive." One of these directives allows member states to take action at their border. "We know this from airport procedures, where people can be detained at the airport, and if their request for asylum is clearly unjustified, they are sent back," said Thomas de Maizière.
Federal Education Minister Johanna Wanka is also working to master the refugee crisis. Targeted measures are to help refugees to integrate swiftly.
To this end an additional sum of some 130 million euros is to be invested over the next few years, reported Johanna Wanka at a press conference on 30 September. The investment will aim to help refugees learn German, to identify the skills and potentials of refugees and to integrate them into training and the working world.