The German parliament proposed making it a mandatory condition for refugees from Ukraine to stay in the country that they have a job.
This proposal was made by the head of the CSU state group in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt.
The statement of the deputy is quoted by the German publication.
What Dobrindt said about the presence of Ukrainians in Germany
The parliamentarian noted that payments to refugees from Ukraine, intended as an emergency measure, have now become a brake on their employment: too many live on benefits and are not looking for work.
Stronger obligations are needed for asylum seekers regarding work attitudes, – said the deputy.
According to him, Ukrainian refugees should work in Germany or return to safe areas of Western Ukraine.
Other German politicians also called for the abolition of Bürgergeld for refugees from Ukraine.
In particular, FDP Secretary General Bijan Jir-Saray stated that the transition to regular payments (460 euros), which all other refugees receive, would encourage Ukrainians to find work.
However, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Monday said there are no plans to replace guaranteed payments to Ukrainians with standard benefits for refugees.
The monthly Bürgergeld payment, amounting to up to 563 euros per person, is available to German citizens and residents who have lost their jobs and are in difficult financial situations.
Bürgergeld is accrued until the person finds a new job. The benefit also provides access to all medical services; insurance premiums are paid by the state.
In 2022, the “traffic light” coalition (SPD, FDP, Greens) together with the CDU/CSU bloc ensured that Ukrainian refugees began to receive Bürgergeld instead of standard benefits for refugees.
Bürgergeld is provided to refugees from Ukraine along with free medical services and social housing while undergoing language and integration courses.
According to the German Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are 1.17 million Ukrainian citizens in the country who arrived after 2022. Of these, 185,000 people are employed.
Recipients of Bürgergeld, according to the German authorities, are about 700,000 Ukrainians, 480,000 of them are of working age.
Earlier it was reported that Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Qiang would meet with Deputy Prime Minister of Germany Robert Habeck.
