WE SAY NO:
16:00 Start rally at Marktplatz – 16:30 Running demo
The payment card, also known as the “SocialCard”, is not a social bank card. On the contrary: with this card, people are marginalized and discriminated against even more. And this happens quite openly and systematically. <\/p>\n\n
Flyer_Demo_14.04.2026_Eberswalde<\/a><\/p>\n\n [January 2026]<\/p>\n\n In the meantime, 6,500 people in Brandenburg’s asylum benefit system have to use the payment card – with the familiar restrictions and associated experiences of discrimination. A municipal patchwork of approved IBANs, cumbersome individual applications for further transfers, e.g. to transport companies or cell phone providers, make everyday life even more difficult for those affected. <\/p>\n\n What is being sold as “administrative simplification” is therefore complex, bureaucratic and expensive! According to MAZ, the state government “[t]he costs for introducing the payment card, awarding it to the financial service provider ‘Secupay’ and the running costs […] have so far amounted to around 2.3 million euros. A further 522,000 euros have been budgeted for the current financial year.” <\/p>\n\n Link on MAZ: https:\/\/www.maz-online.de\/brandenburg\/brandenburg-wie-viele-gefluechtete-die-bezahlkarte-nutzen-iban-ueberweisung-soll-einfacher-werden-BB26B6SRFVDODORD3YN377IGBM.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n [November 2025]<\/p>\n\n Donation campaign<\/strong> [May 2025]<\/p>\n\n Open letter<\/strong> [March 2025]<\/p>\n\n Open meeting of the Brandenburg Refugee Council Nationwide Day of action against the payment card<\/a><\/strong> on the international #TagGegenRassismus In the district of Prignitz<\/strong><\/a> the first payment cards have been issued, only a few so far, but it’s starting. Rally for the International Women’s* Day of Struggle<\/strong><\/strong> [February 2025]<\/p>\n\n Offenes MOL and Omas gegen Rechts invite you to the Chain of lights for democracy<\/a><\/strong> Nationwide conference on the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act – ABOLISH!<\/em><\/a> with a focus on the payment card<\/strong> of the “Equal social rights for ALL!” network Swap date in Strausberg<\/strong> Swap date in Seelow<\/strong> Networking\/alliance meeting No to the Berlin\/Brandenburg payment card<\/strong> No to the payment card in Barnim<\/strong> [January 2025]<\/p>\n\n Demo “CDU tears down the firewall<\/a><\/strong>“ The payment card for asylum seekers: A technology between the promise of innovation and surveillance<\/strong><\/a>article with an overview of the three payment card systems and their providers from the Centre for Responsible Digitalization.<\/p>\n\n Response from the Berlin Senate Department to the written question from MP Elif Eralp (Die Linke) on Why was the payment card introduced despite massive criticism from refugee organizations and how high are the additional costs?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n [December 2024]<\/p>\n\n Potsdam<\/strong> renews its council decision not to introduce<\/a><\/strong> the payment card<\/strong> in the independent city and thus successfully opposes racist symbolic politics.<\/p>\n\n Berlin Senate decides to introduce payment card<\/a><\/strong> for asylum seekers, SPD gives up resistance. The compromise: The cash limit of 50 euros should “only” apply for the first 6 months. <\/p>\n\n Elbe-Elster district<\/strong>: The camp in Hohenleipisch<\/a> is to be closed at the beginning of 2025! This is good news because Hohenleipisch is one of the most isolated camps in Brandenburg. However, the “alternatives” are not much better. Housing for all – abolish warehouses! <\/p>\n\n [November 2024]<\/p>\n\n No to the payment card conference in Berlin and Brandenburg<\/strong><\/a> [October 2024]<\/p>\n\n The Brandenburg state government<\/strong> has announced<\/a> that the conditions for the introduction of the payment card<\/strong> via the provider “secupay” have now been created.<\/p>\n\n Articles Problems with the payment card<\/strong><\/a> by Netzpolitik and Long list of problems<\/strong><\/a> ProAsyl.<\/p>\n\n [September 2024]<\/p>\n\n secupay AG<\/a><\/strong> has been awarded the contract<\/a> to<\/strong> provide the payment card in 14 federal states after the Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court<\/a> lifted the ban on awarding the contract in an urgent decision. Appeal to federal politicians from the Alliance for Equal Social Rights for All<\/strong>: Stop discriminating against refugees!<\/a><\/p>\n\n [August 2024]<\/p>\n\n 25 – 28.08.2024 Berlin, Oranienplatz: No Borders, No Lagers: Intersectional art and culture festival <\/strong><\/a>by Women in Exile (and friends)<\/a>, including a workshop on the payment card. Here’s a report<\/a> from the festival. <\/p>\n\n The Brandenburg State Commissioner for Data Protection<\/strong> publishes a position paper<\/a> on the data protection limits of the use of payment cards to grant benefits under the AsylbLG.<\/p>\n\n [July 2024]<\/p>\n\n The Berlin Refugee Council launches petition<\/strong> No to the payment card! Yes to equal participation for ALL people! <\/a><\/p>\n\n [June 2024]<\/p>\n\n Stage victory in summary proceedings against the restrictive payment card<\/a> at the Hamburg Social Court.<\/p>\n\n Nuremberg Social Welfare Court rules in favor of two plaintiffs in summary proceedings against restrictions on the payment card<\/a>, in particular against the regional restrictions and the difficulty of making bank transfers and online purchases.<\/p>\n\n [May 2024]<\/p>\n\n On May 16, 2024, the amendment to the AsylbLG<\/a> <\/strong>comes into force, which makes it legally possible to grant benefits nationwide in certain constellations with the help of a payment card.<\/p>\n\n The district of M\u00e4rkisch-Oderland (MOL<\/strong> ) is the first district in Brandenburg<\/a> to introduce the payment card<\/strong>; the provider is PayCenter.<\/p>\n\n [February 2024]<\/p>\n\n The Berlin Refugee Council, together with over 60 civil society organizations, associations and initiatives, publishes a letter of protest against the payment card<\/strong><\/a>. The letter is addressed to the Governing Mayor Wegner and the Senator for Integration Kiziltepe as well as to the members of the Berlin House of Representatives in order to stop the introduction of the deterrent payment card<\/strong> in Berlin. <\/p>\n\n [January 2024]<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nein-zur-bezahlkarte.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/barnim-solidarisch.jpeg\")
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