Many corona-related restrictions in cross-border traffic have now been lifted - this is also noticeable in the number of arriving asylum seekers.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - In Saxony-Anhalt, twice as many asylum seekers arrived in the first half of the year as in the same period last year. From January to June 2021, the number was 996 and now 1947, the Ministry of the Interior in Magdeburg said when asked. In view of the easing or lifting of the corona containment measures in cross-border traffic and in view of the global political situation, the ministry believes that the number of asylum seekers may increase to up to 5,000 this year. Almost 3,000 new asylum seekers were recorded in Saxony-Anhalt over the past year. That was roughly the level of the pre-Corona years 2018 (2850) and 2019 (2840).
According to the ministry, most asylum seekers still come from Syria. In the first half of 2022, there were 528 people after 694 in the same period of the previous year. The number of Afghans seeking protection increased from 82 to 320. 247 people came from Georgia; in the first half of 2021, this country of origin was not among the frequent five. And the number of people who came from Turkey and sought asylum rose from 31 to 202.
According to the Interior Ministry, 163 people were repatriated in the first half of the year. 25 of them came from Syria, 24 from Afghanistan, 18 from North Macedonia and 15 from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the first half of 2021, the number of returns was 134. The total number of people who are required to leave the country is not yet available.
There are currently around 1,800 accommodation places for asylum seekers in Saxony-Anhalt. After the properties could not be fully utilized for a long time due to the pandemic, the complete space capacities are now available again in the properties in Bernburg and Magdeburg. In the central reception center in Halberstadt, a large part of the capacity is being used again, according to the information, 1214 people were accommodated there as of June 30th. There are also other areas for corona-related quarantine.
The youth hostel in Naumburg has not been used to accommodate asylum seekers since the end of June. It had been rented temporarily in order to reduce the overall occupancy rate in the initial reception facilities and to offer protection against corona infections.
