Asylum system More places for asylum seekers in the civil protection facility in Köniz BE
The Niederscherli civil defense facility in Köniz BE will be used as temporary asylum accommodation from September. An additional 150 places will be made available in the facility to accommodate Ukrainian asylum seekers, as announced by the State Secretariat for Migration on Thursday.
15.08.2024, 10:31
15.08.2024, 10:32
SDA
The average length of stay for people in this accommodation will be three to seven days, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) added. The SEM has mandated ORS AG as the service provider. Securitas AG will be responsible for security in and around the accommodation.
The Niederscherli underground emergency shelter (NUK) is basically a reserve shelter of the Canton of Bern. In May of this year, the Canton of Bern proposed the facility as an option to the SEM as part of the search for additional accommodation.
The Cantonal Office for Integration and Social Affairs had to close the emergency accommodation in mid-November last year due to mold infestation. At that time, 23 people had to be accommodated in other collective accommodation.
According to the SEM, it expects the number of new asylum and protection applications to remain above average in 2024. The federal government is therefore reliant on additional places throughout Switzerland in order to continue to guarantee the orderly registration and accommodation of asylum and protection seekers. The SEM has been continuously expanding the number of accommodation places since 2022.
