Schuster calls for opening up the return program for Syrians

Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) is calling for better help for refugees from Syria who want to return to their home country after the fall of ruler Bashar al-Assad. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees' return program must also be opened up to people from Syria quickly, the minister told the German Press Agency when asked.

The return assistance program runs under the acronyms REAG/GARP - Reintegration and Emigration Programme for Asylum-Seekers in Germany (REAG) and Government Assisted Repatriation Programme (GARP). This is a humanitarian aid program run by the federal and state governments. It is intended to promote voluntary repatriation, offer start-up assistance and serve to manage an orderly departure.

Currently longer waiting times for applications for support

Voluntary returnees receive, among other things, a travel allowance for the journey to the airport, medical support during the trip and a one-off grant of 1,000 euros per person, with a maximum of 4,000 euros per family. "Due to the high volume of applications, there are currently longer waiting times for processing applications," the Federal Office's website currently states.

People from Syria and some other countries are currently unable to benefit from the program. According to the State Directorate of Saxony, around 20,000 women, men and children from Syria have received a residence permit in the Free State on humanitarian grounds. A further 2,165 have a settlement permit because they have been living in Saxony for several years.

Saxony examines its own program to help voluntary returnees

In their coalition agreement to form a minority government, the CDU and SPD had agreed to better support returnees. "Voluntary departures remain a priority for us. We will support them with advice and examine the feasibility of a state program to support voluntary return," the agreement states.

According to Schuster, Syrians in Saxony have already expressed their interest in returning. The Free State wants to help those affected as long as the Federal Office does not open its program to Syrians. "Those who register now should receive exactly the same as everyone else". First of all, however, he is calling on the federal government to open up the program.