Austria's asylum procedure for Syrians: Stop and return aid planned!

Austria's asylum procedure for Syrians: Stop and return aid planned!

Wien, Österreich - The political situation in Syria has a direct impact on Austria's asylum policy. After the fall of the Assad regime, the new EU Commissioner for the Interior and Migration, Magnus Brunner (ÖVP), was all the more challenged. Brunner took office less than ten days earlier when the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, immediately took measures to suspend all asylum procedures for Syrian nationals. According to the information, this applies to around 7,300 open cases in the first instance, while all the asylum granting that has already been granted are subjected to a review. As oe24.at also reported a return and deportation program in preparation.

uncertainty about returns

While immediate steps were taken in Austria, Brunner was hesitant at European level, especially with regard to planned deportations. According to his statements, it was questionable at the moment how the returns could actually be organized. Karner expressed that returns were only possible "if it is possible after this confused time" and the primary goal is now the support of voluntary returnees. Around 95,000 Syrians are currently in Austria, and the situation in Syria remains extremely unsafe, as Lukas Gahleitner-Herz emphasized by the asylum coordination. It must be ensured that returnees cannot be followed before one can think about a redefination of the asylum procedures, as reported.