REFUGEES ARE A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE FOR GERMANY

USPA NEWS - The number of asylum applications received in 2014 in European Union Member States has risen by 25% compared to the same period in 2013. A quarter of applicans are of Afghan, Erytrean or Syrian origin, and a similar proportion are under 18 years of age....

The number of asylum applications received in 2014 in European Union Member States has risen by 25% compared to the same period in 2013. A quarter of applicans are of Afghan, Erytrean or Syrian origin, and a similar proportion are under 18 years of age. There have been many more asylum applications from stateless people, with an estimated total of 436,OOO people across the European Union. Germany continues to be the recipient of the largest number of asylum applications, followed by France, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom. (UNHCR)

The economic situation in the region has had an impact on the capacity and readiness of many countries to strenghten their protection systems. Austerity measures have also hit civil-society organisations that provide services to asylum-seekers and refugees. Xenophobia and intolerance have led to incidents of discrimination and violence. States have responded by concentrating on curbing irregular movements, including through tighter border controls and detention, or penalization for illegal entry. (UNHCR)

What was once a relatively smooth process for new arrivals has turned into a confusing nightmare for many as cities and towns across Germany struggle to cope with a surge of refugees from the Middle East. A record of 800,000 migrants are expected this year. More than 200,000 arrived in September alone... At the center in Berlin, asylum seekers, some of whom are sleeping outside, say they have been waiting as long as 25 days to register. With winter looming, the same frustrating delays are occuring in other cities across Germany. (Reuters)

They must find winter-proof accommodation, provide asylum seekers with funds to survive, treat health problems, identify migrants with no documents and weed out those who falsely claim to be Syrian because the German government has made clear that those fleeing the civil war there will be allowed to stay.... Around 5% of new arrivals in Germany are allocated to Berlin and some of those waiting at the capital's registration center will be distributed to one of the other 15 states via a computer system called EASY, which spreads asylum seekers across the country based on each state's population and tax revenues. (Reuters)