Germany, because of the EU rules.....has an open-door policy on other EU members coming into Germany and working. When they get to an unemployed situation....the same people are expected to go over to the employment office in each community and get more employment opportunities. Generally, as a German....you can decline a couple of these and at least get Hartz IV welfare pay. For a foreigner, you weren't supposed to decline any type of employment.....otherwise, you'd lose welfare pay.
Well....some Romanian gal decided to challenge the system. After a lengthy court process....a EU court determined that state welfare is for state people, not foreigners. If you come into Germany, pretend to look for work, but never find it.....you don't get welfare. Basically, Germany is inviting you to return to the old country.
Germany will say that roughly 4.3 million Germans are on some type of state help. How many foreigners fit into the group? Unknown. The government and journalists have been careful not to put that figure out into the public perception of the problem.
Hostility involved? Yes....for months, German news media reports have hyped up the problem of Bulgarians and Romanians who've entered the country.....taken up some ghetto-like residences....and opted for state welfare. Local authorities have been looking for various ways to get the people on German welfare or to leave, but the EU rules are pretty strong. However, with the welfare path more clear now.....you won't survive long in Germany without some type of pay. So, either they work at minimum wage, or they leave of their own accord.
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