“Why these people” – The Minister of the Interior plans to tighten the asylum rules

A new law authorizes Britain to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda, Africa, without examination and regardless of their origin. Your asylum application will then be examined by the Rwandan authorities. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) this week served to pressure and promote the model in the EU.

However, the plan also has a catch: reports from African countries such as Tunisia document serious human rights violations. Refugees are kidnapped and left to die in the desert. Does this mean that the Rwanda plan only tries to push the asylum problem far away – under the motto that we in Europe are not interested in what happens behind our backs?

ÖVP wants asylum procedures in third countries
Interior Minister Karner defends the model in the ‘Krone’ podcast: ‘It is a shocking description of the system: death in the Mediterranean, death in trucks, death in the desert. It is therefore necessary that we fundamentally change the system. On the one hand, through the asylum and migration pact with rapid procedures at the EU’s external borders. On the other hand, the pressure on these external borders must be kept to a minimum. This is only possible if asylum procedures can be carried out in third countries.”

Denmark as an ally
Austria was the first supporter of the Danes. Over the past year, another fourteen EU countries have joined the Rwanda model and “jointly approached the European Commission and proposed such models,” Karner said. There are still more than ten Member States that are against the model.

Italy is pursuing a similar plan in Albania. Refugees arrested on the Mediterranean Sea end up in Albania instead of Lampedusa. “Italian officials carry out the asylum procedure here. The security personnel are provided by the Albanian authorities,” Karner explains the process.

Europe pays billions to stop refugees
Are there African states signaling their willingness to become an “asylum outsourcing provider” for the EU? “You have to talk to these countries on an equal level, then there is a way. Chancellor Nehammer was in Morocco last year. I was in Tunisia with the Danish Minister of Migration. Since then, deportations to these countries have worked better,” Karner said. But things only really work well when the billions flow. Agreements such as those with Egypt or Lebanon cost several billions. “It’s still cheaper than overburdened systems and social problems,” says Karner, justifying the deals.

Stricter rules for Syrians
The next step that Karner wants to take is to tighten the reins on the Syrians. The goal: deportations and not every Syrian should automatically receive protection status – as has been a given in recent years. “We must increase the pressure and establish safe areas in Syria. “In addition, we must be able to bring Syrians back home,” Karner said.

But how do you define safe zones in a country at war? “These regions exist,” the Minister of the Interior is convinced. “They have become safer around Damascus and a second region further north. This is also confirmed by Cypriots, who have taken in many Syrians as Syrians return to these areas or visit their relatives. “In that respect, you cannot explain to anyone why these people are given protective status,” says Karner.

Do return agreements also mean that we will have to negotiate with the Syrian regime? “An alliance is currently being formed to clarify how we deal with this issue,” Karner said. Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is also involved. But ultimately talks will have to take place, otherwise ‘no plane can land in Syria’.

Increase in the price of tractors
It all sounds interesting, but it still remains something of the future. Until then, Austria only has the option to strengthen border controls. Here the Minister of the Interior believes he can document success with numbers. “There were 12,300 apprehensions at the border between Burgenland and Hungary in the first four months of 2022. This year in the same period, i.e. from January to the end of May 2024, we have 255 apprehensions in Burgenland.” Why did the decline in asylum applications occur, because costs have doubled? A tractor now costs 3,000 to 5,000 euros. Karner also attributes the price increase to the measures at the border. “Because we have increased the controls enormously. Where things become more difficult, the smuggling mafia increases prices.”

Surprise at the Ministry of Justice
In addition to the problem of illegal migration, the espionage affair surrounding Egisto Ott has kept the Ministry of the Interior intensively busy. A scandal whose traces also lead to the FPÖ. The case was not taken up in the parliamentary U-Committee because the Ministry of Justice refused to allow Ott to be seen and provides the chats with the highest level of security. Was Karner angry about the Justice Department’s demands?“Anger is not a category for the Minister of the Interior, but it does cause surprise.”

“Kickl is against democracy”
There are only a few months left until the elections. Does he believe that his successor will come from the FPÖ, or can the Ministry of the Interior no longer fall into blue hands? Karner doesn’t want to get involved in speculation, but what makes him think is “how radically some people are moving right now.” When Kickl “starts a tour against the system, it should make you think. Because what does it mean to go against the system? The system in Austria is democracy and a true constitutional state! Anyone who takes action against these fundamental Austrian values ​​is not for, but against the people and against our country!”