German Bundestag, Plenarprotokoll 20/174, pp. 22520-22521.
Frau President. Right honorable colleagues. Dear guests.
Before us lies a motion of my delegation [Drucksache 20/11745] with which we pursue the goal of opposing abuse of social benefits. We demand immediate measures against commuter migration. What is commuter migration? Nothing other than social tourism. That means that foreigners come here to Germany, apply for Bürgergeld and other social benefits, then return home, and there do with the money as always; all of this at the cost of the German taxpayers.
If the Social Ministry is asked, then one gets either the answer: “There is no problem”, or: “It is a matter of quite few single cases”. We however do not believe in single cases; for one, because we no longer at all believe this Federal government, and for another, because massive evidence says otherwise.
Since 2016, there are media reports of Syrians, who have a protection status here in Germany, drawing social benefits and yet then driving home on vacation. Recently, the Münchener Merkur reported on a Algerian of 56 years who lived in Bavaria, drew social benefits – namely, Bürgergeld – then had gone to Algeria and forgot to report to a job center. He received 13,900 euros. The Welt recently reported on a married couple from Nigeria, who lived for years in Nigeria and received Bürgergeld, and in fact 33,000 euros. The Focus recently reported on a Ukrainian family who came to Germany seeking protection, then however returned home and there received 40,000 euros in Bürgergeld.
Markus
Kurth (Greens): Then inquire at the job centers there!
Every day, 50 flex busses drive from Berlin to Kiev. One needs be crazy to believe that not a single one of the 723,000 Ukrainians receiving Bürgergeld sits therein.
With this government, and with you here in hall, there is no motivation to oppose social tourism. You lead this country like a banana republic, that is the problem.
Marian
Schieder (SPD): We want to oppose corruption of members!
An AfD-led government would effectively prevent the social tourism. How would we do that? By increasing the degree of contact at the job centers and indeed by a personal audition every four weeks. We would introduce an identity test by means of a finger-printing procedure, and it is an absurdity that there has not been that up to today. I get letters from job center workers who report from Berlin-Kreuzberg. There, fully veiled women stand before them and say they are whoever, and the workers must believe that because it is not allowed to require the veil to be lifted. How shall it be possible to ascertain the identity?
We demand in regards suspicion of absence to conduct a test search at home. We demand that the operators of long-distance bus lines be required to pass on passenger lists to the Federal police with which the job center can undertake inquiries there; the same applies besides for air travel to German airports.
We demand in regards suspicion of unpermitted absence that the immediate stop of payments follows. We demand that in regards the confirmation of an unpermitted absence that not only the payment will be stopped, but all previously made payments be paid back, inclusive of costs of shelter. And should those in need of protection travel in a war area, from which they have ostensibly fled, then that means reimboursement of the social benefits; then that means also the withdrawal of the protection status and a ban on entry. Such people who exploit our social system have nothing to lose here.
Honestly said, I was shocked at the committee sitting today. There, I had addressed the theme, the social politicians among us will recall.
Jens Teutrine
(FDP): You did not! You did not speak!
All peek with big eyes and ask how can it be that, in EU comparison, so few Ukrainians are working here, yet so many Ukrainians are on Bürgergeld. I had asked whether not perhaps this is connected with the flex busses to Kiev. The Frau State Secretary’s answer – there she sits; she will be able to well remember – was accordingly: It is nevertheless self-evident that Ukrainians go home so as to look after things. And you also said: The SGB II [Social Code] also foresees a vacation. I thus can only say one thing to you: You do not oppose the social tourism, as we demand; you promote the social tourism. You are the problem in our country.
I can only say one thing: Who comes to Germany and here draws social benefits, then goes on vacation, goes to a supposed war area,
Markus Kurth
(Greens): “A supposed war area”? O Gott!
he has no claim to social benefits, he has no claim to protection, he does not belong in Germany, he belongs in his home and there he can remain.
Many thanks for your attention.
[trans: tem]
