Germany suspends intake of refugees until further notice

As a further measure against the COVID-19 pandemic, Germany would not accept any more refugees and suspended humanitarian admission "until further notice", a spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior told local newspaper WELT on Wednesday.

Already on Tuesday, Germany had imposed an entry ban on non-EU citizens in accordance with other European countries.

In addition, the Ministry of Interior had instructed the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) "in view of the measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic" to suspend the resettlement process with Turkey and all refugee programs for people in humanitarian emergency situations.

The ministry spokesperson stressed that "German humanitarian admission procedures had already come to a standstill since last Friday due to various travel restrictions and operational limitations, also on the part of important partners."

Germany has been accepting refugees in humanitarian emergency situations within the framework of the EU's Resettlement Program since 2012. The government is seeking to support about 5,000 people annually to find permanent refuge in Germany.