After the initial gunshot in Suhl, what follows?
In the heart of Thuringia, the discussion about the future of refugee reception centers continues, with the closure of the initial news facility in Suhl looming next year. The facility, located on the Friedberg, has been the subject of much debate due to its overcrowded conditions and poor living standards.
The lease for the Suhl facility will not be renewed, and from May 2026, no more refugees will be accommodated there. The Migration Minister, Beate Meißner (CDU), has expressed her intention to establish a new federal refugee intake point in Thuringia, although the exact location remains undisclosed.
The current facility, designed for a normal operation of 800 people, was severely overcrowded in September 2023, with 1,600 people residing there. Conditions within were often shocking, with poor hygienic and social conditions. Thuringia's Interior Minister, Georg Maier (SPD), openly admitted that these conditions had been intolerable for a long time.
The topic of the Suhl facility will continue to occupy the city, with a discussion held at the Community Art Center on September 17, 2025. Approximately 50 people attended, including politicians, residents, refugees, volunteers, actors, and employees of the facility. The mayor of Suhl, Knapp, mentioned that the burden of the facility is evident in the city's residents.
Meanwhile, the 'Strawberry Coalition' of CDU, BSW, and SPD has agreed on a new migration policy in Thuringia, which includes a central foreigners' authority. However, the location of the new state initial reception center remains uncertain. Rumors about new refugee accommodation in Hermsdorf have been denied by the town's mayor, Benny Hofmann.
A working group is currently dealing with possible alternatives for the new state initial reception center. The property on the Friedberg, where the current facility is located, is in private ownership and was only rented by the Free State.
As the closure of the Suhl facility approaches, the focus shifts to finding a solution that ensures a well-organised and effective refugee intake system, especially considering the declining asylum numbers and the need for cooperation with federal authorities. The discussions and debates are likely to continue in the coming months as Thuringia seeks to find a suitable location for its new refugee reception center.
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