Germany expecting 650,000 refugees this year: report

The number of refugees seeking asylum in Germany could surge to 750,000 in 2015, according to German news reports in August 2015 citing official projections from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said on the 18 August 2015 that Europe must work out a fairer way of sharing refugees. Germany and Sweden took a disproprionate number of asylum seekers. The comment came days after Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that the refugee crisis would likely prove a greater political challenge for Europe than Greece.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere warned on the 20 August 2015 that Germany could not continue accepting refugees at its current pace of 800,000 per year. The country could reinstate border controls if other EU states failed to pull their weight.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Number of immigrants in Germany at a record high http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-number-of-immigrants-in-germany-at-a-record-high/

ESO: Background information: Germany urged to deter Balkan asylum claims http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-urged-to-deter-balkan-asylum-claims/

BBC News, 18.08.15: Germany to expect 750,000 refugees in 2015 - reports http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33972632

Germany: Federal Office for Migration and refugees (BAMF) http://www.bamf.de/EN/Startseite/startseite-node.html

The Local.de, 18.08.15: Germany, Sweden need help with migrants: UN http://www.thelocal.de/20150818/germany-sweden-need-help-with-migrants-un

ESO: Background information: A European Response to Migration: Showing solidarity and sharing responsibility http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-a-european-response-to-migration-showing-solidarity-and-sharing-responsibility/

Spiegel Online International, 18.08.15: Welcome to Germany: Locals Step In to Help Refugees in Need http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/refugees-encounter-willing-helpers-in-germany-a-1048536.html

BBC News, 19.08.15: Europe migrant crisis: Germany 'will cope with surge' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33992563

taz, 21.08.15: Integrate refugees to boost economy (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE168445-Integrate-refugees-to-boost-economy

Deutsche Welle, 20.08.15: Germany 'can't cope' with 800,000 refugees per year http://dw.com/p/1GIOT

BBC News 21.08.15: Schengen free movement 'may be in danger', says German minister http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34016448

Népszabadság, 25.08.15: Germany's refugee policy exemplary (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE168658-Germany-s-refugee-policy-exemplary

---