We urge the state government to finally take responsibility and initiate a federal state reception program for the immediate evacuation of at least 2,000 particularly vulnerable people from the EU’s misery camps on the Greek islands.

More than 20,000 people now live in the makeshift tent city of Moria – including many elderly people and around 6,500 children and young people, about 1,000 of them unaccompanied. They are exposed to extreme conditions, insecurity, violence and now also an impending epidemic. The hygienic conditions are degrading, there is hardly any water and soap. Even without Corona, the health of most refugees in Moria is poor due to the disastrous conditions. Medical care in the camp and throughout the island has long been extremely deficient or non-existent.

These inhumane conditions at the external borders are politically intended and part of the European Union’s policy of deterrence and isolation.

While the Federal Ministry of the Interior is blocking the reception of particularly vulnerable groups of people, despite the great willingness of numerous municipalities and increasing number of “safe havens”, the situation on the Greek islands continues to worsen.

It is pointless to wait for the green light from Horst Seehofer. On the contrary, courageous action is now urgently required at national level. Those who wait for the green light from the Federal Government wait in vain and participate in failure to provide assistance and help. The federal states have the right to receive particularly vulnerable persons from the camps on the Greek islands because of the statehood enshrined in the Basic Law. Two legal opinions have already been published. (see below)

That is why we call on the Brandenburg state government to immediately launch a state reception programme for the reception of at least 2,000 unaccompanied minors and other acutely vulnerable persons. In Berlin and Thuringia, state reception orders are being prepared to take in refugees from the Greek islands. That is what we are demanding for Brandenburg as well!

In its 13th session (special session of the Brandenburg State Parliament of 28.04.2020), the state government has already recognized:

The conditions in the Greek camps are unbearable. Children and adolescents in particular suffer extremely from the inhumane conditions there. There must be no looking away.

– German Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (source)

All the more bitter that no action has yet been taken on these findings. There have been many lip services, but words do not save lives. Action must be taken now.

On March 8, the Grand Coalition decided to take in 1000-1500 seriously ill and mentally burdened or unaccompanied children from the overcrowded camps in Greece. So far 47 children have arrived in Germany. This is nothing more than symbolic politics. It has also turned out that 18 of the 47 children have close relatives in Germany. Many of them would therefore have had a legal right to family reunification anyway. The list of “Doctors without Borders” with 150 seriously ill children was not taken into account in the selection. We can no longer wait for a sign from Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer! Aid for refugees must start immediately, at state level! Please help with your signature to bring the topic “State reception program for refugees NOW!” into the Brandenburg state parliament, so that willing cities and municipalities can finally provide their offered help and Brandenburg can become a safe haven.

Evacuate people from Greek refugee camps! NOW!

Federal State reception program NOW!

#BRBhatPlatz #LeaveNoOneBehind

Expert opinions

Expert opinion by Helene Heuser, lawyer at the University of Hamburg, on the admissibility of the admission of persons seeking protection by the German states from EU member states. According to a report commissioned by the Green Party, the federal states could take in refugees from the Greek islands.