State finance ministers in Germany have asked the federal government in Berlin to provide more financial assistance for refugees from Ukraine.
The federal government has already promised to increase its contribution to the costs, but no agreement has yet been reached, according to a joint statement put out by state finance ministers following talks in Nuremberg on Friday.
"The states and municipalities are dependent on the federal government keeping these promises. Here, too, a permanent, breathing arrangement is needed that is related to the number of people arriving," it said.
The harshest criticism came from the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg: "We already have almost as many refugees in Baden-Württemberg as in 2015," said the state's finance minister, Danyal Bayaz.
"We want to fulfill our humanitarian responsibilities. But we can only do so ... if the federal government gives us more support," he stressed.
The overall economic outlook in Germany had noticeably deteriorated with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said the chair of the conference, Rhineland-Palatinate Finance Minister Doris Ahnen. Even the significantly downgraded growth forecast of 2.2% for this year was "a forecast in uncertain times."
"A larger part of the revenue shortfall is actually borne by the states and municipalities. In contrast to the federal government, they cannot react quickly with a supplementary budget and new debt," Ahnen said.
