Future of the Syrian refugees: return or new beginning in Austria?

Future of the Syrian refugees: return or new beginning in Austria?

Around 100,000 Syrians have fled to Austria since 2015, and the debate about their future security and possible return is becoming increasingly pressing. Gernot Maier, the director of the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs and Asylum, said that the situation in Syria was critical and that return decisions cannot be made at the moment. Deportations are currently excluded as long as the security situation remains unclear. "Disclusion procedures could occur with stability," warned Maier, while Herbert Kickl from the FPÖ attacked the statements of the ÖVP with sharp words that deportations were imminent. However, this could be "inevitably forgotten", said Kickl on Facebook, as OE24 reports .

The largest group of Syrian refugees lives outside of Syria in Germany, with almost 1 million registered people, many of whom are waiting for an asylum procedure. However, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has stopped all new asylum decisions for Syrians for the time being due to the uncertain location in the home country. Over 47,000 ongoing applications are affected. "It was dubious to speculate about concrete return options," emphasized Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. Nevertheless, there are efforts to simplify the return of Syrians. Jens Spahn from the CDU suggests creating charter flights and financial incentives to promote a return, as Tagesschau reports .

The situation is tense: the majority of Syrians in Germany remains skeptical about a return. After all, the number of Syrian refugees is well qualified, with many academics among them. If the trend towards returning increases, the effects on the labor market and social structures in Germany would be significant, since many of these refugees, especially in healthcare, make an essential contribution. While the wave of return from neighboring countries has already started, most refugees continue to wait for stable conditions before making such decisions.