While the number of asylum seekers is increasing in the EU – across the EU there were 324,000 applications by the end of April, up 34 percent, with Germany (87 percent more), Italy (63 percent more) and France (52 percent more) being particularly affected – they are decreasing in Austria. “The asylum brake works,” the Interior Ministry said. This development is attributed to consistent controls of border points and border areas in Austria and the fight against people smuggling on routes abroad, with Austrian police involved in Serbia and Montenegro and as part of “Operation Fox” in Hungary. International cooperation – such as closing the so-called visa route for Indians and Tunisians via Serbia or new return agreements – and accelerated asylum procedures in Austria would also play a role.
By the end of April, the Federal Office of Immigration and Asylum (BFA) had issued 3,049 negative decisions in fast and urgent procedures. Furthermore, by the end of April, 14,297 people had escaped the procedure, giving up protection and leaving Austria on its own again. Asylum had been granted in 4,999 cases by the end of the previous month, and 10,070 asylum decisions were negative.
Broken down by country of origin, in April most asylum applications were made by Syrian nationals (893), followed by people from Afghanistan (602), Bangladesh (504), Turkey (262) and Morocco (250). Asylum claims by Tunisians (26) and Indians (60) have dropped significantly. People from these two countries made more than 32,000 asylum applications last year.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, as of May 1, 34,374 asylum seekers, people entitled to asylum and protection, were in basic care. There were also 51,370 people displaced from Ukraine.
The Freedom Party’s numbers are not cause for rejoicing. Karner throws sand in the eyes of the population, complained security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer. Although they have decreased compared to the previous year, the year 2022 “with its more than 112,000 asylum requests was the year of disaster par excellence”. In view of the slight decline, saying that the asylum brake is working is the “usual ÖVP asylum pr” that lacks substance, according to Amesbauer.