Germany’s head of its Office for Migration and Refugees resigns

The head of Germany’s refugee office, which has been criticised for its handling of record numbers of asylum seekers, has resigned, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees is at the forefront in the view of the current political situation.

“The dramatically increased numbers of asylum seekers in Germany have set a huge challenge for the BAMF as well as for states and local authorities”, the statement read.

Schmidt’s resignation is likely to increase scrutiny of his boss, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, who has come under pressure because officials have been slow to process the flood of refugee arrivals.

A large proportion of those arriving wanted to apply for asylum in Germany because of its strong economy and Chancellor Angela Merkel’s welcoming attitude toward refugees.

This comes after tens of thousands of migrants have arrived in Germany over the past weeks. Currently, more than 250,000 applications for asylum have piled up.

Merkel has previously said that there was no limit to the number of refugees Germany would welcome and that the nation expects between 800,000 and 1 million people before the end of 2015.

Hundreds of refugees marched along the highway to cross the Saalbrucke border bridge between Freilassing and Salzburg, after German and Austrian railways suspended services between Salzburg and Munich on Wednesday. “But we must also tell those, who came here only for economic reasons, that they have to leave our country, so that we can help those who are in need of protection”, Merkel said during a speech at the IAA international Motor Show in Frankfurt.

Gabriel said the temporary controls were not a permanent closure of borders or suspension of the basic right of asylum, but necessary to maintain control and maintain order.