RS#06: Bürgeramt blues - how to get an appointment

Radio Spaetkauf is Berlin's news show. On this episode: Europe's refugee crisis is hitting Berlin. Over 550 asylum seekers are arriving each day to seek a safer life. The city's bureaucrats are struggling to keep up with the influx, but volunteers are helping hand out water bottles as refugees wait in the hot sun to file their applications for asylum. The actor Til Schweiger has stepped in to call for more shelters for refugees, which has earned him our respect. Got a problem getting into the Bürgeramt to register your address? A startup has created a website where you can book an appointment at short notice for between €25 and €45. However it appears to operate by booking all the available appointments, then selling them back to desperate citizens. The BER airport is in trouble again, this time because one of the main contractors has filed for insolvency. That means the much-delayed opening date of late 2017 may be pushed back even further. Wondering why there are so many wasps around this summer? Our animal kingdom expert Jöran has the answer. Got a comment or question for the show? Write in to [email protected].