SPÖ criticizes federal government

“Five years of total failure on asylum and migration”

Illegal migration: Although apprehensions have decreased recently, there is still criticism.

(Bild: Christian Schulter, Krone KREATIV)

The SPÖ Burgenland is continuing to focus on the issues of asylum, migration and security in the national election campaign. There is heavy criticism in particular of the turquoise-green federal government.

Burgenland has been the "main victim" of illegal migration in recent years, emphasize SPÖ Club Leader Roland Fürst and National Council candidate Jürgen Schabhüttl. For them, the federal government is primarily responsible: "Five years of total failure in asylum, migration, integration and border protection," is their conclusion. In the last five years alone, 80 to 90 percent of irregular refugees have entered Austria via the border in Burgenland.

SPÖ party leader Roland Fürst and National Council candidate Jürgen Schabhüttl.

(Bild: SPÖ-Landtagsklub)

Justice centers abroad for criminals
"In 2022 and 2023 alone, 109,000 asylum applications were submitted in Burgenland, which is another reason why we are against a residence obligation," says Fürst. People with a negative asylum decision should therefore be consistently taken out of the country and those who have committed serious crimes should be sent to justice centers outside the EU. There is also a side blow to the FPÖ: "They are making common cause in the EU Parliament with Hungary's Viktor Orbán, who simply waves refugees through to Burgenland," says Fürst.

"Scaremongering", "SPÖ lacks credibility"
The reactions from the other parties were harsh: "This SPÖ scaremongering has no place when it comes to asylum," said ÖVP regional managing director Patrik Fazekas. The measures to combat people smuggling are taking effect, as current figures show. FPÖ state chairman Alexander Petschnig accused the SPÖ of being "untrustworthy" on the subject. The Greens, on the other hand, criticized Burgenland for falling 17 percent short of the agreed quota for asylum seekers. "If you have time to criticize others, you would be better advised to do your homework first," said club leader Anja Haider-Wallner.