800,000 asylum seekers are
expected to arrive in Germany this year, the Interior Ministry
said on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere, who announced the
official figures, stressed the number was twice what was
expected based on previous estimates.
He said July was a record month for asylum requests, noting
that 37,500 were registered last month.
"Some 40% of the requests in the first six months came from
the western Balkans: this is unacceptable," De Maiziere said.
"We must act differently; be quicker and act in a more
pragmatic fashion."
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