Refugee crisis in Berlin: Tegel has to get even bigger!

Refugee crisis in Berlin: Tegel has to get even bigger!

Berlin's former Tegel Airport, once a busy transportation hub, is currently gaining new notoriety as Germany's largest refugee home. Even if this transformation represents a pragmatic approach to incoming migrants, it creates complex challenges that must be addressed by those responsible.

Kai Wegner, Berlin's governing mayor and CDU politician, expressed skepticism about the possibility of further expanding the facility. “I think 7,000 are already way too many,” he told foreign correspondents in Berlin, hinting that the capacity would probably have to increase further. Experts are supposed to determine the exact numbers, but a reduction seems unlikely, explained Wegner. The fact is: Tegel already occupies a leading position as the largest refugee accommodation in Germany.

And the space problem greets us every day

With the daily arrival of new migrants in Berlin, the system is reaching its limits. As a precautionary step, Wegner's CDU/SPD Senate has already decided to increase capacity to 8,000 places. But the mayor suggested that even this number might not be enough given the masses. The existing situation is characterized by overcrowded accommodation for asylum seekers and is described by Wegner as “unsatisfactory”.

The situation became particularly explosive at the beginning of October when revelations came to light that employees of the State Office for Refugees had already complained in August about “unsustainable conditions” and attacks on staff by those seeking protection. A letter to Wegner remained unanswered and raises questions about the city government's handling of the crisis.

Berlin as a “safe haven”

Berlin has also positioned itself as a “safe haven”. A statement from the city says: “We welcome refugees – and are ready to take in more people.” This commitment underpins Berlin's self-image as a counter-voice to the European isolation policy. Nevertheless, Wegner made no secret of the fact that the limit of what can be sustained has been reached and that the city is in danger of being “overtaxed,” something that Berlin is not alone in saying. as Jungefreiheit.de reports.

For everyone involved, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether long-term solutions can be found. The challenge of accommodating a growing number of people seeking protection while at the same time not overloading the infrastructure and social services remains.