"Let German citizens take in refugees", politician says

[European Knight]

An asylum seeker rest on bunk beds at a refugee tent camp called 'The Tent' in Munich October 10, 2014. About 180 refugees arrived last night at the new camp. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

LONDON, Oct 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Citizens in Germany, one of the most sought-after destinations for refugees, should be allowed to host asylum seekers in their homes to ease the pressure on the government to provide adequate housing for them, a politician said on Friday.

Martin Patzelt, a lawmaker and member of the Christian Democratic Union, said households should be permitted to provide free lodging to refugees, leaving only the cost of living and healthcare to the government.

He said the measure would save Germany a considerable amount of money housing refugees, and provide an alternative to crowded temporary shelters, hotels and unused gyms.

Germany, the European Union's biggest economy, is one of the world's top destinations for people fleeing oppression and war.

It had 65,700 new asylum claims in the first half of the year, the largest number among industrialised nations, mainly due to a rise in applications by Syrians, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

http://www.trust.org/item/2014101016...urce=fiTheWire

[portusaus]

Someday they will be shown what it is like to truly be refugees.