'Refugees cost Germany 50 billion'

cologne - The refugee dossier costs Germany this year and in 2017 a total of almost 50 billion euros. It involves housing costs, meals and integration and language courses. According to a forecast of the Institute of the German Economy in Cologne.

For this year, the cost is estimated at 22 billion euros. If the number of asylum seekers in Germany flows rises to 2.2 million, is due next year, as nearly 28 billion euros. If expectations become reality, this means that the German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) appearance must close new loans in 2017, analyzes the institute.

The German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere is in Afghanistan Monday for consultation, including on the refugee crisis in Europe. More than 150 000 Afghans have been registered in recent years in Germany as asylum seekers. In 2014 there were still about 97. 000. Only in Syria attracted more people to Germany.