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Watchdog Faults Bamf’s €8.4 Million NGO Funding for Afghan Intake Program as Repayment Drive Begins

The audit cites lax oversight that let ineligible expenses pass unchecked, triggering moves to claw back money with interest.

Overview

  • The Bundesrechnungshof says Bamf approved grant claims without adequate scrutiny for the NGO running the program’s Berlin coordination office.
  • Auditors list questionable outlays including a leased coffee machine with supplies, three kitchens, three leased cars, a €3,000 generator, and €120,000 for a three‑month web presence.
  • A May 2024 on‑site review had already found substantial misuse of funds, yet disbursements continued after that visit.
  • The Interior Ministry reports Bamf will demand repayments and assess interest, with an earlier €7,829 recovery already recorded for improper costs.
  • The report also flags pay and procurement violations at the NGO Patenschaftsnetzwerk Afghanische Ortskräfte, while the formal program has since ended and courts have ordered some individual admissions.