Germany expects 1.5m asylum-seekers this year

AFP, BERLIN: Germany could receive up to 1.5 million asylum-seekers this year, according to newspaper Bild, quoting a confidential document containing estimates that are far higher than publicly released official figures.
Authorities have so far predicted that Europe’s top economy would record between 800,000 and 1 million new arrivals in 2015.
But Bild quoted the document saying that the authorities were now expecting to receive 920,000 new arrivals in the coming three months alone, bringing the total number of asylum-seekers this year to 1.5 million.
“The migratory pressure will increase. For the fourth quarter, we expect between 7,000 and 10,000 illegal entries a day,” according to extracts of the document, although Bild did not specify its source. “The significant number of asylum-seekers risks becoming an extreme burden for the regions and communes,” added the document.
The newspaper also quoted the document estimating that each asylum-seeker who successfully obtained refugee status could bring on average “four to eight” family members to Germany.
On the basis of the preliminary forecast of 920,000 migrants, some “7.36 million people” could therefore have the right to move to Germany due to family ties. Chancellor Angela Merkel has been lauded worldwide for her decision to open Germany’s doors to refugees fleeing war and misery.
But within Germany, her popularity is starting to wane as local authorities struggle to cope with the massive task of hosting the record surge in refugees.
Another reports from Brussels adds: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was to meet Monday with the EU’s top officials for urgent talks on the migration crisis and the Syrian war that is producing so many of the refugees.
Erdogan’s visit comes as it emerged that 630,000 people have entered the European Union illegally this year, many coming via Turkey, and that Germany could receive up to 1.5 million asylum-seekers in 2015.
Facing the worst refugee crisis since World War II, Brussels and Ankara are reportedly set to discuss a plan that would see Turkey join Greek coastguard patrols in the eastern Aegean, coordinated by EU border agency Frontex.
Any migrants picked up would be taken back to Turkey, where six new camps for up to two million people would be built, co-financed by the EU, to relieve the huge pressure on Greece in particular.
European officials are also set to push Turkey to tackle people smugglers, a scourge that was once again in the spotlight on Sunday when the badly decomposed bodies of two children were found washed up on the Greek island of Kos.
But officials played down the chances of a final deal on the plan during the visit by Erdogan, saying the talks were likely to be “difficult” and that they would probably only mark the formal start of the process.

 

Germany expects 1.5m asylum-seekers this year

AFP, BERLIN: Germany could receive up to 1.5 million asylum-seekers this year, according to newspaper Bild, quoting a confidential document containing estimates that are far higher than publicly released official figures. Authorities have so far predicted that Europes top economy would record between 800,000 and 1 million new arrivals in 2015. But Bild quoted the document saying that the authorities were now expecting to receive 920,000 new arrivals in the coming three months alone, bringing the total number of asylum-seekers this year to 1.5 million. The migratory pressure will increase. For the fourth quarter, we expect between 7,000 and 10,000 illegal entries a day, according to extracts of the document, although Bild did not specify its source. The significant number of asylum-seekers risks becoming an extreme burden for the regions and communes, added the document. The newspaper also quoted the document estimating that each asylum-seeker who successfully obtained refugee status could bring on average four to eight family members to Germany. On the basis of the preliminary forecast of 920,000 migrants, some 7.36 million people could therefore have the right to move to Germany due to family ties. Chancellor Angela Merkel has been lauded worldwide for her decision to open Germanys doors to refugees fleeing war and misery. But within Germany, her popularity is starting to wane as local authorities struggle to cope with the massive task of hosting the record surge in refugees. Another reports from Brussels adds: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was to meet Monday with the EUs top officials for urgent talks on the migration crisis and the Syrian war that is producing so many of the refugees. Erdogans visit comes as it emerged that 630,000 people have entered the European Union illegally this year, many coming via Turkey, and that Germany could receive up to 1.5 million asylum-seekers in 2015. Facing the worst refugee crisis since World War II, Brussels and Ankara are reportedly set to discuss a plan that would see Turkey join Greek coastguard patrols in the eastern Aegean, coordinated by EU border agency Frontex. Any migrants picked up would be taken back to Turkey, where six new camps for up to two million people would be built, co-financed by the EU, to relieve the huge pressure on Greece in particular. European officials are also set to push Turkey to tackle people smugglers, a scourge that was once again in the spotlight on Sunday when the badly decomposed bodies of two children were found washed up on the Greek island of Kos. But officials played down the chances of a final deal on the plan during the visit by Erdogan, saying the talks were likely to be difficult and that they would probably only mark the formal start of the process.