Integration officer warns: Stopping asylum would be the wrong approach!”

Integration officer warns: Stopping asylum would be the wrong approach!”

Graz, February 28, 2025 - The debate about asylum and migration in Austria remains tense, and the integration officer of the Graz-Seckau diocese, Erich Hohl, has now made a clear statement about the planned changes in the new government program. Hohl emphasizes that there are positive approaches, such as strengthening support for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other aid organizations in crisis areas. Nevertheless, he warns against a one-sided portrayal of asylum seekers as potential national security risks. “There must always be room for the persecuted,” emphasizes Hohl and calls for flight and economic migration to be viewed separately. He also criticizes a possible asylum ban and instead calls for the development of an integration path that is based on mutual respect and offers fair opportunities for participation, as he explained in an official statement.

Integration efforts of the city of Graz

In parallel to these debates, the city of Graz has strengthened its integration declaration, which was passed in 2016. This declaration is aimed at all newcomers and provides information about the basic rules of living together and the expectations of integration efforts. The city offers numerous opportunities, including social benefits, as long as those arriving show a positive commitment to society. Those who want to actively contribute to the community receive special support, for example with social cards or by taking part in sports and holiday courses. This measure is intended to make it easier for new citizens to successfully integrate into Austrian society. The declaration is available in ten languages ​​and is therefore accessible to a diverse target group, as can be seen from the information from graz.at.

The measures and demands mentioned illustrate the future-oriented approaches to integration in Graz and the responsible treatment of asylum seekers in Austria. Hohl sees integration as a crucial factor for living together in a globalized world and calls for a comprehensive consideration of the challenges of this topic.