budget
No more budget for sea rescue in the Mediterranean
Civil organizations have been saving refugees on the Mediterranean for years. So far, the federal government has supported them with millions – but that should end.
The Federal Government no longer wants to financially support the civilian sea rescue of refugees in the Mediterranean. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the budget plans of Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil are no longer intended for civil aid organizations such as Sea-Eye, SOS Humanity, Sant’egidio and others.
In recent years, the federal government has funded the sea rescue in the Mediterranean with two million euros annually. Even at the beginning of the year, when there was no finished budget for 2025, almost 900,000 euros had flowed to five organizations. Further funding is no longer planned, the Federal Foreign Office said.
Sea Eye: Ship may have to stay in the port
The Sea-Eye organization criticized the deletion. “We have been filling the gap on the Mediterranean for ten years, which should actually be closed by European countries – and therefore also from Germany,” said the chairman Gorden Isler. Now it could happen that Sea Eye had to stay in the port despite the fall of the sea.
The Green MP Jamila Schäfer also sharply criticized the government plans. The deletion of the funds will not lead to less migration, but will make escape routes fattening, she told the German Press Agency. Sea rescue is not a luxury, but humanitarian duty. “We pay a fire brigade to save lives ashore. We shouldn’t let people drown on the sea.”
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
