After the collapse of the Assad regime, the future of the more than 1.6 million Syrians who have sought refuge within the EU in recent years is highly uncertain. In addition to freezing asylum decisions, many Member States are currently discussing how to accelerate voluntary returns. And sometimes they even have to dig deep into their pockets…
Austria rushed on Wednesday to announce it would pay any Syrian willing to leave the country up to 1,000 euros for a “fresh start”. As reported, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) recently announced that he would provide support to Syrians willing to return. There was even talk of organizing flights. In addition, all Syrian asylum applications (currently almost 15,000) are frozen. Family reunification is also suspended.
Denmark offers every adult 27,000 euros
Now Denmark, led by Social Democrats (!), is following suit. The processing of asylum applications from Syrian citizens will also be stopped there. And there’s more: adults returning to Syria receive an average of 200,000 Danish kroner (about 27,000 euros!) and 50,000 kroner (about 6,700 euros) per child.
Danish Integration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek told the newspaper ‘Bild’: “Just over 5,100 Syrians have emigrated from Denmark since 2015 – of which almost 600 Syrians with legal residence have voluntarily left Denmark for Syria since 2019 with financial support under the repatriation law. sent back. I hope that given the new developments, even more people will take advantage of the offer.”
Prime Minister with a clear message to the Syrians
Denmark’s Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who politically belongs to the S&D group but is often alone among European Social Democrats in her position on immigration policy, expects that Syrians will return home to rebuild their country after the fall of the Assad regime: forced to flee Denmark, I would have a burning desire to return. This is my country, my language and the place where my family has lived for generations,” said Frederiksen.
There are still 100,000 Syrian asylum applications open in Europe
Following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, several European countries suspended asylum decisions for Syrian citizens. Figures published on Wednesday by the European Asylum Agency (EUAA) show that more than 100,000 asylum applications from Syrian citizens were being processed across the EU at the end of October. The Syrian war forced half of the pre-war population of 23 million people to flee.
“Uncertainty about the situation”
EU foreign ministers will also discuss the situation in Syria on Monday at their last meeting before Christmas in Brussels. There is currently no clear EU policy on how to deal with a new regime or the deportations suspended by several countries. Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) participates for Austria. On Friday, EU diplomats stressed the “ambiguity of the situation” and the “uncertain information situation”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
