First deportation of Syrian offenders: Interior Minister Karner invites you!

First deportation of Syrian offenders: Interior Minister Karner invites you!

Außenstelle Flugpolizei, Schwechat Cargo Nord, Objekt 229, 1300 Flughafen Wien, Österreich - On July 3, 2025, a Pressspoint will take place under Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to the first deportation of a Syrian offender to Syria. This event will take place at 2:15 p.m. in the field of the flight police at Vienna Airport. Media representatives are cordially invited to take part in this deadline in order to obtain further information about the deportations and the associated measures. The media is contacted by Ministerial Councilor Markus Haindl, spokesman for the Federal Minister.

In the course of the current political discussion on the subject of migration and asylum, Karner presented a "orderly return and deportation program" for Syrian citizens: inside. This program, which is to be implemented gradually, includes support offers for volunteers: inside and in particular the deportation of criminals and people who are not integrated or willing to work. This was last discussed in a current hour in the National Council, which devoted itself to the topic "Asylum brake: measures that work".

political reactions and discussions

The political reaction to the announced return program was mixed. While the FPÖ criticized the Federal Government's asylum policy as a "fairy tale lesson" and demanded an asylum stop, the ÖVP of Austria emphasized "pioneering role" in combating illegal migration. The SPÖ, on the other hand, called for pragmatic access to returns, especially in view of the unclear situation in Syria. The NEOS and the Greens also emphasized the need for integration efforts for the remaining asylum seekers and emphasized the importance of support for democratic forces in Syria.

A central topic in the talks was the drastic reduction in illegal border crossings in the past two years, which has dropped from 80,000 to just 4,500. This, together with the closure of 26 out of 35 quarters of the Federal Employment Agency for Supervision and Support services, shows the efficiency of current asylum management. Together with Karner, the suspension of all asylum applications of Syrian citizens: inside and the review of already granted protection status was announced in order to create clearer conditions for repatriations.

It remains to be seen how the return program will be implemented in practice and what further steps the government will initiate in migration policy. The pressure on the government, especially with regard to integration and the situation in Syria, remains high.