After reader demand

Chancellor: “We have to deport a lot more”

Chancellor Karl Nehammer

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, ÖVP Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer points out how difficult it is to carry out deportations. A rethink is now needed, especially at EU level.

Deportations have been the subject of much discussion following the attack in the German town of Solingen. The attacker should have been returned to Bulgaria, but he went into hiding from the police. Are politicians simply powerless to deal with this problem? De "Krone" readers clearly call for tougher action - especially when the law is broken.

"Krone": Mr. Nehammer, the Solingen attacker could not be repatriated in Germany, now he has killed three people. Is there simply an impotence in politics when it comes to some issues?
Karl Nehammer: We are exhausting all possibilities to get people who have committed crimes or do not have a residence permit out of the country. This year we are at 13,000 removals from the country. That is still not good enough, we need to deport many more. We need major repatriation agreements on the part of the Union, which must be linked to economic agreements. Because it doesn't help, without the cooperation of other countries I can't carry out returns. It is one thing to investigate and convict the offender, but if I don't have a partner country that will take him back, I can't deport him. In addition, asylum procedures are needed in third countries.

Deportations to Afghanistan are hardly possible. What about Syria?
We are in favor of a repatriation agreement to Syria. The current challenge is that the European Asylum Agency has not yet approved deportations to Syria, and we have to comply with European law. This is the reason why Austria is building up pressure in all EU bodies so that a rethink takes place here. On Afghanistan: It will not be necessary to negotiate directly with the Taliban. We were the first in the EU to call for deportations to neighboring countries, to Afghanistan. Many people laughed at us then. Germany is now on our side. These are the first steps in the right direction.

Germany is now discussing detention pending deportation. Herbert Kickl wanted to turn Traiskirchen into an exit center, is that a way to make the country safer?
That was a pigeonhole campaign. The fact check proves that more asylum seekers were accommodated in Traiskirchen under Interior Minister Kickl than now under Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. This shows that reassembling pigeonholes is useless, substantial policies are needed. Repatriation agreements only work in conjunction with economic agreements. No country is interested in taking in its delinquent citizens. The ÖVP also wanted security detention for dangerous people. We couldn't get that through with our government partner; it needs a two-thirds majority in parliament. All those who are crying out for more security can now show their colors.