Citizens’ movement wants to close federal asylum center in Steckborn TG
Published: Monday, Dec 18th 2023, 17:30
Updated At: Tuesday, Dec 19th 2023, 00:59
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In Steckborn TG, a citizens' movement has set itself the goal of closing the temporary federal asylum center. They are calling for an extraordinary municipal assembly with a petition for a referendum. The aim is to terminate the contract with the State Secretariat for Migration for a civil protection facility. This would set a precedent.
In just under two weeks, 131 signatures were collected from Steckborn residents entitled to vote, the initiators wrote in a press release on Monday. Town mayor Roland Toleti (non-party) confirmed receipt of the petition to the Keystone-SDA news agency on request.
According to the municipal regulations of the small town with around 4,000 inhabitants, 100 voters can bring a matter to an extraordinary municipal assembly. This is where the termination of the contract between the municipality and the SEM is to be voted on, thereby closing the underground asylum accommodation with around 200 places.
Cantonal police refute the allegations
Certain sections of the population have been resisting the accommodation of asylum seekers in the town for months. In an earlier press release, the citizens' movement wrote that life in the small town was massively disrupted by the asylum accommodation. Night-time, Sunday and midday peace would not be respected. In addition, there was trespassing, theft, threats and harassment, roughhousing, relieving oneself and drunkenness in public.
The police contradicted this. "From a statistical point of view, based on cases with identified perpetrators, there are no indications for the Thurgau cantonal police that the asylum accommodation has a negative impact on the security situation in Steckborn," explained Andy Theler, Head of Communications, when asked by Keystone-SDA.
So far this year, the cantonal police have recorded eleven interventions directly related to residents of the Steckborn asylum center. These were mostly disagreements between residents of the accommodation.
Concerns at federal and cantonal level
Mayor Toleti distanced himself from the plans to terminate the contract with the SEM. This is not a solution and is morally and ethically unacceptable. The issue must now be clarified within two months at an extraordinary municipal assembly. The contract could be terminated at the end of February with six months' notice.
This would set a precedent, said Thurgau SP Justice Director Cornelia Komposch. She spoke of a "loss of solidarity". If a local citizens' movement closes a federal asylum shelter in this way, it could also trigger resistance elsewhere. The SEM had expressed concern to her.
The accommodation stood empty for a long time
The federal government rented the civil defense facility in Steckborn in 2016 as temporary emergency accommodation during tense refugee situations. It stood empty for a long time. With the war in Ukraine, the facility was occupied in 2022.
Today, refugees from other countries with ongoing asylum procedures are housed in Steckborn, sometimes for several weeks.
©Keystone/SDA
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