Criticism of asylum policy

SPÖ steps up the pace: “Out with criminals!”

Focus on deportations: The SPÖ once again criticizes asylum policy and presents a list of demands.

(Bild: BMI)

Criticism of migration policy is directed at the federal government and the EU: the SPÖ presents an entire list of demands in the state parliament on Thursday and submits an urgent motion. 

The arrest of a terror suspect in Bavaria, who was previously in prison in Austria, prompts SPÖ parliamentary group leader Roland Fürst to once again criticize the federal government's asylum policy. As reported, the Syrian Mohammad K. was sentenced to 19 months in prison for multiple smuggling in Eisenstadt in summer 2018. He was released at the end of April 2019. "After just a few months! Was he deported?" asks Fürst provocatively. Now K. is behind bars in Germany. The 27-year-old is said to have planned an attack on Bundeswehr soldiers and wanted to kill "as many as possible".

Entry ban imposed on trafficker in custody
"In fact, the suspected Syrian was arrested in April 2018 as a smuggler in Austria. After a year in custody, he was released by the judiciary," clarifies the Ministry of the Interior. K. already had protection status in Germany at the time of the crime in 2018. "No application for asylum was made in Austria", it says. An entry ban had been issued during his detention in December 2018. According to official information, K. did not appear in Austria after his prison sentence.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV / APA / Eurostat)

Over 13,000 applications, 1240 deportations
Apart from asylum seekers with criminal convictions, who often remain in Austria according to Fürst, the returns of migrants to safe third countries, where they were first registered, are also too poor. There were 13,558 applications in Austria compared to 1240 deportations (see chart). "In 1240 cases, repatriation had to be carried out, the rest left the country of their own accord", according to the statement from the minister's office. Postscript: "In Austria, the election campaign is on pause due to the flood disaster, but this does not seem to apply in Burgenland."

76 asylum applications per 100,000 inhabitants: "Austria is well above the EU average of 58", criticizes Fürst.

(Bild: Grammer Karl/Karl Grammer)

Limit of 10,000 applications
The SPÖ is sticking to its urgent motion in today's state parliament. According to this, a limit of 10,000 applications per year is to be implemented to curb the number of asylum applications. In the event of negative, legally binding asylum decisions, social benefits should be withdrawn and those affected deported. A national action plan to combat violent Islamism is also called for. Fürst: "Harsher penalties are necessary. Because paragraphs are not enough against terror."