Categories: Politics

This is how the cantons are prepared for the refugees

All beds in the federal asylum seekers’ centers are occupied, which is why the federal government is building new centers, such as here on the Waffenplatz in Emmen.

It is one of the largest refugee movements since the 2015/2016 refugee crisis, which now affects Switzerland. At the beginning of the week, the federal government had to warn: the federal asylum centers are full. “We are happy that anyone looking for a bed can still get a place to sleep,” said Lutz Hahn, spokesperson for ORS, which operates homes on behalf of the government.

Due to the full federal asylum seekers’ centres, the cantons temporarily have to take in twice as many people as before: up to 1,000 asylum seekers a week instead of 500. The reason for the increasing number of refugees, in addition to the war in Ukraine, is increased immigration of people from North Africa and Afghanistan.

“The situation is challenging”

The flow of refugees does not come as a surprise to the cantons, many are prepared and have offered shelter. For example, those responsible in the canton of Solothurn expect some 500 additional asylum applications by the end of the year. The current situation is still a challenge, says government councilor responsible Susanne Schaffner (60).

At the moment, however, there are enough beds and they are even prepared in the event of an even higher ascent. During the week, an extra house on the Balmberg with 50 places will temporarily open.

Container village Basel planned

According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, there are 250 accommodation places available in the canton of Bern. For emergencies, 4,000 emergency beds are also available, which can be set up in gym or multi-purpose or civil defense facilities.

For example, from the beginning of 2023, a collective reception center for asylum seekers will be operated in the vacant Hotel-Restaurant Gurnigelbad. Gundekar Giebel, spokesperson for the Berne Health Directorate, told Blick that they would be grateful for any information about other vacant areas that would be suitable for accommodation. He does not expect a rapid decline in asylum applications: “At the moment we must assume that it will continue like this.”

Basel-Stadt is also prepared for the refugee flow. About 600 people seeking protection could be accommodated there immediately.

Should the previously available places in Basel be occupied, three additional underground facilities with a total of 250 places are available. The construction of a container village with 140 places is also planned, but it will not be put into use until May. The canton of Aargau has about 1,400 reserve places available.

Army continues to expand shelters

But not only the cantons are preparing for many people seeking protection. In recent weeks, the federal government has also continuously provided additional housing. The emergency plan for asylum provides that the federal government must provide a total of 9,000 beds with army accommodation. These places already exist – and soon there will be 9,500.

As of this week, asylum seekers in Emmen will also be accommodated in an army gym. The accommodation can accommodate 200 people. The system is one of about 20 that the federal government is currently preparing or has already commissioned in recent weeks. Multi-purpose halls have already been set up in Bure JU, Thun BE, Gossau SG and Chamblon JU.

Sophie Reinhardt
Source:Blick

Share
Published by
Livingstone

Recent Posts

Terror suspect Chechen ‘hanged himself’ in Russian custody Egyptian President al-Sisi has been sworn in for a third term

On the same day of the terrorist attack on the Krokus City Hall in Moscow,…

1 year ago

Locals demand tourist tax for Tenerife: “Like a cancer consuming the island”

class="sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc">1/4Residents of Tenerife have had enough of noisy and dirty tourists.It's too loud, the…

1 year ago

Agreement reached: this is how much Tuchel will receive for his departure from Bayern

class="sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc">1/7Packing his things in Munich in the summer: Thomas Tuchel.After just over a year,…

1 year ago

Worst earthquake in 25 years in Taiwan +++ Number of deaths increased Is Russia running out of tanks? Now ‘Chinese coffins’ are used

At least seven people have been killed and 57 injured in severe earthquakes in the…

1 year ago

Now the moon should also have its own time (and its own clocks). These 11 photos and videos show just how intense the Taiwan earthquake was

The American space agency NASA would establish a uniform lunar time on behalf of the…

1 year ago

This is how the Swiss experienced the earthquake in Taiwan: “I saw a crack in the wall”

class="sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc">1/8Bode Obwegeser was surprised by the earthquake while he was sleeping. “It was a…

1 year ago