Early search for asylum places: Jans learns from Baume-Schneider’s mistakes

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You learn from mistakes. And the new SP Asylum Minister Beat Jans (59) does not want to end up in the same dilemma as his predecessor and party colleague Elisabeth Baume-Schneider (60). Last year she faced thousands of missing shelters – and this year she finally moved to the health department.

Jans has already discussed the current asylum situation with the board of cantonal social directors (SODK). Both sides want to prepare better this time and start planning for missing beds now, with a view to the summer and autumn, when the number of asylum seekers is expected to rise again.

Do not ‘operate in crisis mode’ again

They don’t want to have to ‘operate in crisis mode’ again, and the cantons cannot resist taking a swipe. In November 2022, the federal government had to allocate asylum seekers to the cantons early, and civil protection and military facilities were hastily put into use last fall.

SP federal councilor Baume-Schneider had previously speculated a lot. She wanted to set up container villages to be prepared for an increase in asylum applications. Because the Council of States stood in the way, a plan B was necessary. The cantons were asked to report civil protection facilities that could create approximately 3,000 additional places.

The army helped SEM out of trouble

But because there were far too few free beds, Defense Minister Viola Amherd (61) had to intervene. The army agreed to give up about 3,700 places in the army infrastructure if necessary by the end of 2024, thereby bailing out the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

This time everything should be different. By planning ahead, the federal government and the cantons want to avoid such emergencies this year.

Source:Blick