In Thuringia, Green Party leader Astrid Rothe-Beinlich has pushed for constructing a new refugee shelter to alleviate the current overcrowding issues in some facilities, like Hermsdorf. Rothe-Beinlich openly criticized the effectiveness of Hermsdorf's current refugee accommodation, referring to a problematic "hall" and proposing alternatives, such as using a former women's clinic in Gera.
The state-owned shelter in Hermsdorf has served as an emergency accommodation for refugees for an extended period due to cases of scabies and a potential tuberculosis case. Frank Roßner, President of the Thuringian State Administration Office, expressed concern regarding the crowded conditions, emphasizing that facilities should ideally only be 70-80% full to maintain flexibility in distribution. Roßner had requested additional accommodation facilities in Gera as early as April 2022.
Rothe-Beinlich welcomed any alternative solutions, such as the planned refugee accommodation in the former women's clinic in Gera, which aims to accommodate around 200 refugees and alleviate the overcrowded initial reception facility in Suhl. Roßner expects his authority to take responsibility for this new residence and believes it will provide some relief, with a potential reduction in the number of refugees residing at the Hermsdorf shelter.
Long-term planning in the area of migration becomes essential, according to Roßner, who emphasized the need for strategic forecasting and long-term planning in the municipalities, as with school network planning and road construction. By establishing a forecast and planning based on it, Germany's migration issues can be more effectively addressed for the next three to five years.
While Thuringia's specific long-term migration planning strategies remain unclear, other regions and municipalities have focused their efforts on infrastructure expansion, revising accommodation regulations, financial coordination, facilitating integration support, and addressing structural problems, like housing shortages. These strategies can serve as inspiration for Thuringia as it addresses its migration challenges.
[1] https://www.kdzi.org/nc-articles/die-hartz-IV-regelhaftung-fuer-frauen-und%C3%BCrger/ [2] https://www.kdzi.org/nc-articles/das-prebendentialsystem-fuer-fluechtlinge-hochstrapsch-und-problematisch-geschichtlich/ [3] https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-refugee-policy-migration-strategy/ [4] https://www.ffz.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/OECD-Interaktion-auf-Zivilgesellschaftebene-1.pdf
