Hello everyone,
my name is Maxim Andreev and I’m running for the Foreigners’ Advisory Council in Dresden. I think many of you don’t even know that this board exists. To be honest, it would be great if we didn’t even need this advisory council. Because in my opinion, every person living permanently in Germany should have the right to vote in municipal elections as soon as possible and thus at least be represented at municipal level. I am strongly convinced that political participation is one of the best motivators for integration and should therefore be at the beginning of the integration process – and should not be ” gifted” as a “reward” together with the German passport at the end of life.
Unfortunately, we are still a long way from this ideal. Some political parties in the city council not only deny migrants their political rights, but also openly communicate that they do not want to implement measures to reduce the waiting times for naturalisation requests. The reason for this is that they do not accept the new German Citizenship Act and are therefore sabotaging it.
That is why we still have a long way to go before we reach this goal. Until then, we must use the Foreigners’ Advisory Council to make our voice louder.
Here are my main points:
1. Accelerating the naturalisation process
I find it unacceptable that people have to wait up to two years before their naturalisation requests are even reviewed by the authorities. This is despite the fact that they pay all their taxes and fees for many years, fully provide themselves and their families and, yes, also speak German.
City authorities have to do something to reduce the waiting times. I want regular reports from the city administration stating exactly what has been done to solve the problem. Excuses no longer work – we need clear and measurable progress now!
2. Boost integration through political participation
Our political voice is no less important than our cultural identity. The best way to integrate is to actively participate and contribute your ideas and visions to local politics. This includes:
- fewer barriers to political participation,
- more funding for organisations that offer training courses and workshops for migrants so that they can learn about political processes and rights,
- more support for mentoring programmes that bring locals and migrants together to promote intercultural exchange and mutual support.
3. Support for refugees
Providing housing and support for refugees is not just the responsibility of local authorities, but of all of us. People with a migration background in particular can provide valuable support due to their immigration experience and language skills. The Foreigners’ Advisory Council should do more to motivate people from migrant communities to become more involved in helping refugees.
This includes:
- Promotion of volunteer programmes: We should promote programmes that encourage people with a migration background to volunteer in refugee aid. Their experience and language skills are a real advantage.
- We should also offer training courses: Specialised training should be offered to prepare volunteers from migrant communities for their tasks and provide them with the knowledge they need to effectively support refugees.
- Build networks: We should build and strengthen networks between migrant organisations and existing aid organisations so that everyone can work together better and support each other.
In this way, we can not only improve support for refugees, but also ensure that people with a migration background integrate better and participate more actively in our society.
4. Actively counter extremism
It is unacceptable for right-wing extremist speeches in the city council to go uncontradicted. The Foreigners’ Advisory Council should use its right to speak in the City Council more often in such cases. My aim is for the Foreigners’ Advisory Council to take a stronger stand against racism and discrimination. We must stand together against such statements and show that Dresden is a city of diversity and tolerance.
It is also important to counter racism, antisemitism and islamophobia within migrant communities. We should promote intercultural exchange between different migrant organisations, support joint projects to overcome prejudice and discrimination within our own communities and promote a culture of mutual respect.
We can work together to make this city a place where all opinions are heard and respected. Let’s work together for a fairer and more inclusive future!