(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) BERLIN Dhu-AlQa'dah 03 1436 August 18 2015 SPA -- Germany is expecting 750000 people to seek asylum this year a business daily cited government sources as saying up from a previous estimate of 450000 as some cities say they already cannot cope and hostility towards migrants surges in some areas Reuters reported.
The influx has driven the issue of asylum seekers high up Germany's political agenda. Chancellor Angela Merkel has tried to address fears among some voters that migrants will eat up taxpayers' money and take their jobs. The number of attacks on refugee shelters have soared this year.
The interior ministry declined to comment on the figures reported in the Handelsblatt but is set to issue its latest predictions this week. Its previous estimate of asylum applications for 2015 was already double that of 2014's level.
Germany is the biggest recipient of asylum seekers in the European Union which has been overwhelmed by growing numbers of refugees fleeing war and violence in countries such as Syria Iraq and Eritrea.
There is also a flood of asylum seekers from Balkan countries. Almost half of the refugees who came to Germany in the first half of the year came from southeast Europe.
Both Merkel and President Joachim Gauck have urged Germans to shun intolerance and hostility towards foreigners.
--SPA
16:06 LOCAL TIME 13:06 GMT
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