Two smugglers in custody

368 refugees stopped in seven days

Apprehensions of 12 refugees or more are currently rather rare. However, the number of registrations is increasing.

(Bild: Christian Schulter/Christian Schulter, Krone KREATIV)

Far fewer apprehensions than a year ago, but the number of registrations is increasing again. Asylum seekers have had to do community service for three months - ten hours a month are mandatory.

"Everything happened very quickly. At midday in Deutschkreutz, a white van stopped near a junction on the B 62 in the direction of the industrial area. Before the alerted police could check the suspicious vehicle, 28 Syrians and two Turks jumped out of the windowless cargo hold onto the road." These dramatic scenes of illegal migration took place just over a year ago. Such reports were almost a daily occurrence at the time.

Increased contingents
According to the investigators' investigations, the smuggling mafia had increased its contingents in the summer of 2023 and pushed through transports with at least 30 refugees. Just a few hours after the operation in Deutschkreutz, 40 migrants marched across the border to Nikitsch early in the morning. 30 more immigrants appeared there in the afternoon.

Once again, there is a lot to do for the officers at the border control points.

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

Almost 3000 migrants this year
In the fall of 2023, the series of large-scale apprehensions is over. At the beginning of this year, often less than 20 migrants were stranded in Burgenland every seven days. By the summer of 2024, however, the number of arrivals had increased again. In the weeks from August 5 to mid-October, 149, 89, 143, 137, 150, 191, 295, 161, 211 and 308 migrants were registered. The high point so far in 2024 was last week from October 21 to 27. 368 arrivals were reported. This means that a total of 2945 asylum seekers have arrived in Burgenland this year. 27 smugglers were stopped and arrested.

Migrants do charitable work
The situation has changed slightly for refugees who stay here. For three months now, asylum seekers have been obliged to do community service. According to the Ministry of the Interior, this regulation is being consistently implemented in the federal government's basic care facilities. "1757 asylum seekers have worked more than 101,000 hours so far," is the initial assessment. Around 680 asylum seekers have had their pocket money cut because they have not done any community service.

Ten hours of compulsory work
The activities include the maintenance of publicly accessible green spaces and parks as well as the care of sports fields owned by a municipality. "Ten hours of work per month are mandatory," the authority explains. "Anyone who receives protection in Austria should also give something back to society," emphasizes Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.