The new refugee coordinator, Michael Takacs, was already employed in 2015. His conclusion: while “thousands of male refugees” entered the country at the time, it was mainly women and children who fled during the war in Ukraine. And that’s not the only difference with the great refugee crisis seven years ago…
Because while Austria was also organizationally “unprepared” in 2015, the refugee coordinator said it was “well positioned” today based on past experience. Another difference is that the flight from Ukraine is “controlled”. That was not the case in 2015, when “refugees ignored the police and roamed the country,” explains Takacs.
When the word “welcome culture” still had a positive connotation…
Migration researcher Judith Kohlenberger (WU Vienna) reminds us of this in the mood for Ukrainian refugees in early 2015. Even then, the willingness to help was great and the word “welcome culture” still had a positive connotation, “that changed at a certain point”. But it must be clear: “Human rights apply to everyone”. Can that be done again this time. Not necessarily, because the fact that mainly women and children flee “increases the willingness to take up,” says the expert.
Ukrainian: “I’m dying inside”
The mother of student Lina Barinova also came to Vienna from Odessa, her father is still in Ukraine. She says, “When we’re on the phone, I hear the bombs in the background. Every time I see the pictures from Ukraine, a part of me dies.” That is why she and a team set up the aid organization YOUkraine, which mainly collects medicines, hygiene articles and non-perishable food for Ukraine. With success: “I want to thank all Austrians for their help!”
Angry about Ukrainian cars? “There is hardly anything more disgusting”
The organizer of the solidarity event at Heldenplatz last weekend with about 100,000 visitors is also grateful. In any case, he takes critical voices at a mass event in times of Corona seriously: “We tried to find a good compromise”. But he has no sympathy for people who don’t like free parking for Ukrainians in Vienna or who are angry about the cars of the refugees: “There is hardly anything more disgusting. Any person who feels healthy should be spit on it!”.
20-hour working days for refugee coordinator normal
It is agreed that this war also requires a national effort from Austria. Landau does not rule out a new edition of #YesWeCare, migration expert Kohlenberger emphasizes the importance of access to the labor market and Barinova also explains that her work was a way to overcome the feeling of helplessness. For refugee coordinator Takacs, the coming months will likely be exhausting: “I’ve had very little sleep for 16 days. But there’s power in it to be able to make a difference.”
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Source: Krone
I’m an experienced news author and editor based in New York City. I specialize in covering healthcare news stories for Today Times Live, helping to keep readers informed on the latest developments related to the industry. I have a deep understanding of medical topics, including emerging treatments and drugs, the changing laws that regulate healthcare providers, and other matters that affect public health.
