Crisist stop called – “Brutal smuggling mafia”: pressure on Karner increases

People are “lured with completely false promises and risk their lives,” said the interior minister. “As today’s incident shows once again, human lives don’t count for the smuggling mafia – their deaths are just accepted.” “Resolute action against smugglers and illegal migration means protecting human lives,” the minister said with conviction. “The measures to combat the crime of trafficking in human beings must therefore be continued consistently.”

Nearly 330 traffickers arrested this year
By August 12, 2022, nearly 330 people smugglers had already been arrested this year, the department head referred to the data. Compared to the same period last year, this represents an increase of 80 arrests.

According to Karner, there are currently armed clashes between rival gangs of traffickers and smugglers on the Hungarian-Serb border. At the end of July, the Austrian contingent on the Hungarian-Serb border was expanded to 55 police officers. Thermal imaging cameras and drones are also used there.

First “researchers conference” already held
Karner also referred to international cooperation: a “task force” of researchers from Hungary, Serbia and Austria had already been set up. A first ‘researchers conference’ has already been held.

According to Karner, cooperation with Hungary will start in September in training the border police stationed there. And just “a few days ago” a video conference was held with the chief of the Montenegrin police by Austria’s director general for public security, Franz Ruf.

„Return network” planned
In addition, the Interior Ministry reported that Karner will meet the new EU return coordinator Mari Juritsch on Tuesday in Vienna. Juritsch should therefore coordinate stronger cooperation between Member States and support the countries in setting up and expanding return systems. A “return network” is planned, whose members will meet for the first time in September. The aim is to increase the number of returnees from Europe to the country of origin of the migrants.

Karner will then travel to Copenhagen on Wednesday, where a meeting with the Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration, Kaare Dybvad Bek, is scheduled. It should cover consultations on the EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact, return cooperation with countries of origin and asylum procedures in third countries.

“Anyone who does not receive asylum must return to their homeland”
“A credible asylum policy is inextricably linked to a consistent return system. Anyone who does not receive asylum must return to their country of origin. Close agreements between the European member states and clear messages to the countries of origin and transit are needed here in order to consistently combat human smuggling’, says Karner.

The minister also referred to systems in other countries: “Denmark and Great Britain rely on asylum procedures in third countries. Such an approach would deal a heavy blow to human smuggling crime. We must therefore also use the experiences of these two countries for the other EU countries.”

According to the latest data (already published at the end of July), 31,050 migrants applied for asylum in Austria in the first half of the year. Most of these were migrants from Afghanistan (7325), followed by Syria (6680), Tunisia (3810), Pakistan (3110) and India (2025).

SPÖ Burgenland calls for crisis summit
Meanwhile, the Burgenland SPÖ security spokesman Ewald Schnecker called for a crisis summit. It was “incredibly sad what happened at the border today”, the condolences go to “the victims of this criminal smuggling mafia, which must be stopped as soon as possible”. The Home Secretary was now called upon to “finally convene a crisis summit against this inhumane criminal human trafficking crime to finally get to work”.