Migrants staying at Berlin’s hostels and hotel accommodations will soon have to leave as the capital is preparing for tourism season, which welcomes nearly ten million guests each year.
On the other hand, nearly 70 migrants and asylum seekers reach Berlin every day, with these rates being particularly high after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as more people from Ukraine are arriving in the capital city, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
According to Tagesspiegel, a large number of people who have fled Ukraine will have to move to Tegel airport, which is considerably less comfortable than hotel and hostel rooms, where migrants were placed so far.
Tegel, which serves as an arrival centre for refugees and asylum seekers in Berlin, received several temporary emergency shelters in 2022 and its capacity of accommodation reaches up to 4,800.
Migrants with asylum requests under process will be moved from hostels and hotels to shared accommodation units in Tempelhof, which is another site of the former Berlin airport.
The new facilities that will serve for the accommodation of migrants won’t be ready until June, as Berlin’s state office for refugees (LAF) told the local media. The latest official data reveals that net migration from Ukraine to Germany stood at 962,000 in 2022, with more than 100,000 of those currently living in Berlin.
Some 650 refugees left designated accommodation spots, without letting authorities know while LAF revealed that contracts with six hotels regarding the accommodation of migrants have expired. As of April 4, 962 refugees were still accommodated in hostels and hotels, with 722 of those being Ukrainians.
Nearly 32,000 refugees are currently staying in LAF-run facilities in Berlin, which is an increase of almost a quarter compared to eight months ago.
Last month, Germany’s interior minister announced at a refugee summit that the federal government will not support states financially, although many repeated calls from the state government to increase funding and accommodation have been placed.
The forced relocation is also a particular problem for wheelchair-bound people, as some of them will have to stay at facilities that aren’t adequate for their state. Problems include a lack of bathrooms and not enough space for their wheelchairs.
The modular accommodation, is currently full, as LAF’s spokesperson noted. On the other hand, accommodation at Tegel is better for people in a wheelchair. In the first two–three months of the year, 30 people were registered, while last year, nearly 200 people in a wheelchair were accommodated at the former airport.
The housing crisis for migrants is common across all member states as last month it was reported that people were living in the streets for months due to not being able to register in Belgium’s immigration system. Nearly 250 people were forced to sleep in the street due to insufficient accommodation in Brussels.
