Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) again urged a “hard line” on asylum issues on Tuesday. People from “holiday countries” such as Tunisia and Morocco have almost no chance of a positive asylum application, but would “tax the system”. Anyone who receives a negative decision should also return to their home country, Karner said.
“The whole system is at the limit because many people are applying for asylum,” the interior minister said on Tuesday after a conversation with Mari Juritsch. Juritsch has been in office since May to coordinate better cooperation between EU countries on the return of refugees. Other goals are better cooperation with countries of origin and more return from Europe. A network is being set up for this purpose, whose members will meet for the first time in September.
More asylum applications from India
Juritsch himself did not comment after meeting Karner. The coordinator was the first EU Member State to visit Austria. Regarding return campaigns, Karner argued that only those who really need help should be allowed asylum. People from ‘holiday countries’ such as India, Morocco and Tunisia are not included. Indians and India filed more asylum applications in July this year than any other group of people. However, they have almost no chance of a positive decision and would only burden the system, which is already at the limit.
According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, 31,050 refugees applied for asylum in Austria in the first half of 2022. Most came from Afghanistan, followed by Syria, Tunisia, Pakistan and India. The fact that certain asylum seekers from “holiday countries” have virtually no chance of asylum should be clearly signaled at national and EU level, Karner said.
Half voluntarily leave the country
In the first half of 2022, Austria registered about 6,200 refugee return campaigns. According to Karner, about half of this is voluntary, the other half is mandatory. Although Austria is in principle well positioned, the country can still improve. “The goal is that those who receive a negative decision should also return to their home country.”
Social media campaign against people smugglers
On Tuesday, Karner again criticized the smugglers’ actions after the accident with a smuggler’s car over the weekend that left three dead and several seriously injured (in Burgenland). These would “fool” people into something that politicians must counter – even before people flee. Therefore, a social media campaign warning of the dangers of illegal migration will be extended to other countries of origin and continuously adapted.
FPÖ calls for immediate cessation of asylum
FPÖ security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer described Karner’s announcements that he would act harshly and consistently as “utterly unbelievable”. “Austria needs an immediate cessation of asylum with a consistent ‘no way’ policy. In addition, the right of asylum for foreigners entering Austria through safe third countries should be suspended and denials should be legalized at our border,” the politician demanded. “Illegal migration to Austria must finally lose its appeal.”
Source: Krone
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