Security and asylum

Carinthian Freedom Party calls for a special parliamentary session

Josef Ofner and FP leader Erwin Angerer demand an immediate stop to asylum!

(Bild: Jennifer Kapellari)

Following the tragic attack in Villach, the Freedom Party is calling for a special session of the Carinthian state parliament. This is to take place on Wednesday or Thursday. "The population expects action to finally be taken. No more empty words. People who endanger our security must be expelled," said Angerer at the press conference.

The week of mourning is now over, which is why we are now obliged to take concrete measures, said FP leader Erwin Angerer at a press conference on Monday. At the same time, he called for a special parliamentary session on asylum and security policy in Carinthia.

A legal basis is needed so that security authorities can act effectively. "It is unacceptable that even criminals cannot be taken out of the country. There is no longer any understanding for this among the population," emphasized Angerer. Although a large part of the regulations must be made at federal level, Carinthia is in close contact with the federal FPÖ in order to take appropriate initiatives.

Angerer also criticized the SPÖ and its contradictory statements on the subject of asylum. While SPÖ politicians such as Villach's mayor Günther Albel or the Styrian SPÖ leader had spoken out in favor of an asylum cap, federal party leader Andreas Babler and state governor Peter Kaiser had relativized this. "What is an asylum cap? Who sets it? When is it reached?" The FPÖ's answer: "We reached it long ago. The boat is full. We need an immediate asylum stop!"

In particular, the Freedom Party is calling for consistent action against so-called "Gefährder". According to the highest security authorities, there are 600 to 700 suspicious persons throughout Austria, including 200 to 300 actual threats. "In Carinthia there are 20 to 30 - we had to read that in the 'Kronen Zeitung' instead of it being addressed at the security summit. These people must be taken into custody immediately and taken out of the country," continued Angerer. "It is madness that we are waiting until something happens!" A corresponding motion is to be tabled in the special session of the state parliament.

FPÖ calls for a "radical change of course"
 In addition to the asylum ban and the immediate deportation of dangerous individuals, the FPÖ is calling for further measures:

• Immediate asylum stop: according to the Freedom Party, Austria's borders should be closed and no further asylum applications should be accepted.

• Pushbacks at the border: Asylum applications should be rejected at the border in order to prevent illegal migration outside of Austria. However, "pushbacks" are considered illegal throughout Europe.

• "Remigration": Those who no longer have grounds for asylum are to be deported. "This is nothing more than a course correction," says the FPÖ. Angerer and his deputy Josef Ofner make it clear that this does not refer to Austrian citizens or integrated migrants: "In Germany, this term is different - we use it to refer to persons entitled to asylum whose grounds for asylum are no longer valid," says Ofner, who criticizes the fact that the current legal situation regarding asylum is being circumvented: "These people pass through several safe countries before reaching Austria, where they should actually apply for asylum. The Freedom Party's demand for remigration also differs from the German view (the word was used in the context of a secret, right-wing extremist meeting in Potsdam) in that "people are not talking in the back room here, but in parliament".

• Avoid magnet effects: The Austrian system is also too attractive: "Over 80,000 people entitled to asylum or protection received minimum benefits in Austria in 2023", Angerer quotes a Statista analysis.

• Prohibition law against political Islam: The party is calling for a corresponding law to combat Islamist radicalization.

• Tightening of citizenship law: In Vienna, it is too easy to obtain citizenship, criticizes the FPÖ. The Freedom Party demands that this needs to be tightened up.

• Limiting the minimum income for asylum seekers: Many of these issues fall within the scope of federal policy. "However, Carinthia could make its own regulations on minimum benefits - because this is a matter for the federal states," explains Angerer, who is also in constant contact with the federal party and his members of the National Council from Carinthia.

Criticism of previous measures
The deputy chairman of the Freedom Party in the Carinthian state parliament, Josef Ofner, spoke of a "total failure of politics" over the last ten years. Over 430,000 asylum applications had been made in Austria, he said, plus 80,000 Ukrainians. "Why can't we deport dangerous people? How can the perpetrator of the attack have been rejected in Germany and granted asylum in Austria? What has happened since the attack in Vienna in 2020? Nothing!"

"Clear political signal to Vienna"
 The FPÖ emphasized that it was not about "Austrian citizens or integrated migrants", but about illegal migration. "Our social system, our education system, our healthcare system - everything is overloaded. We can no longer cope!" said Angerer, alluding to the famous statement by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "No continent deals with this issue like Europe."

The FPÖ announced its intention to send a clear signal to Vienna in the Carinthian state parliament. "There must be no business as usual. Our need for security must not go under."