Germany Floats Bonus For Rejected Asylum Seekers to Go Home

The German government wants to encourage rejected asylum seekers to voluntarily return to their home countries with a cash incentive, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told newspaper Bild am Sonntag on Sunday, Deutsche Welle reported. 
For years, Germany has provided rejected asylum seekers and others with financial help to return to their countries, including costs associated with travel and restarting life back home.
On top of that, de Maiziere said families can receive up to ?3,000 ($3,570) and individuals up to ?1,000 if they voluntarily return home by the end of February.

"When you voluntarily decide to return by the end of February, in addition to startup help you can provisionally receive housing cost help for the first 12 months in your homeland," de Maiziere said in a direct appeal to rejected asylum seekers.
Kitchen equipment
According to the news report, in addition to previous payments rejected asylum seekers can receive money in their homeland for rent, building, home renovations or even basic equipment for a kitchen or a bathroom.
The program is called "Your country. Your future. Now!"
"There are opportunities in your homeland. We will support you with concrete help for your reintegration," de Maiziere said.

Pro Asyl's Günter Burkhardt: An "underhanded strategy"
The German refugee organization Pro Asyl slammed the offer, calling it an underhanded strategy.
"[The government] is trying to entice people to give up their rights in the basest manner," managing director Günter Burkhardt told the German news agency DPA on Sunday.
Going underground
De Maiziere's offer comes as Bavaria, which deports the most Afghans of any German state, reports problems in finding the people...