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Fraud scandal involving Torgau refugee care: JES under pressure!
Fraud trial against the JES association in northern Saxony: allegations of false information regarding refugee care, verdict in November.
Fraud scandal involving Torgau refugee care: JES under pressure!
A shadow falls on the “Jung. Engagiert. Sozial” (JES) association in Torgau. As part of an ongoing fraud trial, the 67-year-old chairwoman Silvia G. and the 47-year-old accountant Carsten B. are in the crosshairs of the judiciary. Over the period from February 2016 to July 2017, the two are said to have committed commercial fraud by submitting errors in salary statements and personal details when caring for unaccompanied minor refugees in the northern Saxony area. [lvz.de]. actual expenses were lower.
In the trial, Silvia G. claims that the pressure from the district office was enormous and that she had difficulty finding qualified staff. A former head of the youth welfare office confirmed this and pointed out the necessary compromises in staffing. Meanwhile, Carsten B. stated that he had accepted the incorrect information without checking it.
Refugee crisis and its effects
The background to refugee care is closely intertwined with the European refugee crisis, which began in 2015. This crisis is part of a global increase in forcibly displaced people, driven by factors such as economic inequality, regions in conflict and human rights violations. The Syrian Civil War, Taliban attacks and other conflicts in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan have forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. Wikipedia reminds us that in 2015, with the entry of 20,000 refugees from Hungary in one weekend alone, the situation in Europe reached a new dimension.
The EU did not just greet this return with open doors. While some states such as Germany accepted refugees, others such as Hungary and Poland were strictly against a fair distribution of migrants, which led to a large number of national solo efforts. These tensions and policy approaches ultimately influenced the work of local organizations such as JES.
The consequences for JES and future decisions
It is currently assumed that the trial will take some time, with additional dates, and a verdict is not expected until November. If Silvia G. confesses fully, she could face a prison sentence of 1.4 to 1.8 years on probation. In addition, she has already had to pay 350,000 euros to the North Saxony district office, which is driving forward the liquidation of the JES association. Given these financial circumstances, it seems as if JES no longer has any reserves and could no longer cope with the extent of the events in supporting refugees.
It is an oppressive situation in which escape and deception collide. The organizations that were once able to offer refugees a safe haven are now often in the firing line themselves. The debate about NGOs, their role and the often complex conditions that drive refugees to leave their homes remains current and important. [bpb.de].