Austria has achieved increased external border protection in Bulgaria. But the problem is only shifting, experts say.
people flee to Europe. Austria is a popular destination. At the EU summit, Chancellor Karl Nehammer and allies succeeded in strengthening border fences in Bulgaria with EU billions. And: According to the Court of Audit, asylum procedures have recently been of shorter duration. Nehammer and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner see this as a success for the ÖVP, which is currently not accustomed to success.
‘Record high number of asylum applications’
However, the problem has not been solved. “Already 13 percent of the external border of the EU is fenced, about 2,000 kilometers. If this were so effective in reducing the number of arrivals, we would not have seen a record number of asylum applications last year,” says migration researcher Judith Kohlenberger.
Moreover, the fences would only move events elsewhere. On even more dangerous routes. “This leads to the paradox that border fences cannot deter smugglers, but rather encourage them.” On the contrary, it is important to combat the causes of flight. “Because they can’t get away through fences.”
The “absurdity” behind the fence debate
Asylum law expert Lukas Gahleitner says the chancellor’s boast about EU funding to repair a fence is absurd. “Hungary has a border fence, but in 2022 three-quarters of all migrants came from there to Austria.” Out of sheer scare-mongering, the government forgets the central question of a migration strategy that facilitates the immigration necessary for prosperity and pension security.
The shortening of the asylum procedure is to be welcomed, according to Gahleitner. At the same time, the Court’s analysis shows “that the rumors of a system overload are not true. Although there were a record number of applications in 2022, Austria is the European champion of closed procedures. In 2022 there were more than 40,000.” Judith Kohlenberger argues in the same vein: “The valuable work of asylum seekers and judges shows that the rule of law also works here.” The researcher sees a need for reform, for example in the basic provision. This is where the quota comes into play again, “which most federal states still do not meet. Sanction options are needed.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
