The increasing number of refugees is pushing the system to its limits, in some areas it has already been exceeded, said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). That is why the state conference on refugees on Thursday was about creating further housing options, among other things. Additional measures are needed in all states, “Tents may also need to be set up,” says Karner.
The interior minister stressed that the clear goal is to prevent homelessness. That is why it has been agreed with the countries to “do everything that is humanly possible” to achieve this. Karner didn’t give any concrete plans for locations or a number of how many tents should be set up: “It would be dubious to name some.” After all, it was only talked about. Now it’s a matter of preparing.
limits “exhausted”
The director of the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services (BBU), Andreas Achrainer, also stressed that the BBU is on the limit when it comes to housing options. The BBU currently hosts 8,000 people, but about 5,600 of them have been admitted to the asylum procedure and should therefore switch to the basic state provision, Achrainer argued: “A simple calculation example of why our borders are exhausted.”
The BBU has found new capabilities, but they are not enough, said Achrainer, who stressed that the BBU had done its “homework”. If the number of people arriving – currently about 600 people a day – remains so high, “we cannot avoid tents,” the BBU director said. Mainly unaccompanied men should be accommodated there, and additional accommodation would be sought for families, women or refugees with children.
Minister of the Interior expects further influx
Due to the situation in Ukraine and Serbia’s announcement that it will change its visa policy before the end of the year, the interior minister expects the number of refugees to remain high. That has been raised “clearly and unequivocally”. And he has the “impression” that everyone has “great understanding” that extra places are needed.
Source: Krone
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