Illegal migration

“Nobody should be allowed to enter the EU without a passport”

In cooperation with the Austrian, German and Italian police authorities, passenger trains are checked for illegal migration at the Brenner Pass, for example.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

At the Tyrolean Future Talks, the ÖVP in Tyrol is currently focusing on the topics of security and asylum. "We must put an end to the unscrupulous business of people smugglers. Tyrol is not a transit country for illegal migration," says Tyrolean State Councillor for Security Astrid Mair. 

What will happen if Germany makes good on its announcements and closes the borders to Tyrol to stop illegal migration? Astrid Mair (ÖVP), Tyrol's State Councillor for Security, is currently giving this a lot of thought. The former district police commander from Kufstein is convinced that close cooperation within Europe is needed, especially due to her professional experience on the border with Germany.

"Germany must not be allowed to pass its problems onto us. We need a fair and joint European approach and not individual states going it alone."

"Tyrol is not a transit country for illegal migration"
Illegal migration is currently one of the biggest challenges in Europe. "Smuggling gangs earn millions on the backs of people who are often lured into the EU under false promises. We must put an end to this unscrupulous business. Tyrol is not a transit country for illegal migration," says Tyrolean Security Minister Mair in clear terms.

Our social systems are already close to their limits. If new sources of conflict lead to further flows of refugees to Europe, this could be the death knell for all the integration efforts of recent years.

Sicherheits-LR Astrid Mair

Bild: Birbaumer Christof

Stateless people are pushed back and forth
For her, it is clear that anyone who enters the EU and pretends not to have a passport has forfeited any right to asylum in our country. "It is quite clear that claiming not to have a passport is a method used in the vast majority of cases. It is precisely this problem that we must now tackle at the root - anyone who deliberately arrives without a passport no longer has the right to remain on European soil," says Mair, sticking to her rigorous course.

In practice, the problem of stateless migrants is often shifted back and forth within Europe - there has been no solution to this problem to date. "It's not just an integration problem, but first and foremost a security problem, because we simply don't know who is coming here." In practice, people are now often trying to exploit our system - for example, people from third countries who cross the border with fake Ukrainian passports and pretend to be victims or war refugees.

She also agrees with the statements made by EU Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner, who talks about repatriation centers in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper. Mair also believes that "a cross-border approach is absolutely necessary".

Up to 20 asylum applications per week in Tyrol
There are currently around 3180 people receiving basic care in Tyrol, including around 1100 Ukrainians, 1000 Syrians and other asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia and Turkey. There are between 30 and 50 arrivals per week in Tyrol, while returns from Germany and Italy remain at a low level. The number of asylum applications remains constant at 10 to 20 applications per week. For Astrid Mair, one thing is certain: "Anyone who wants to live with us must abide by our values and rules. I am therefore clearly in favor of mandatory integration, rigorous border protection and the reduction or elimination of social benefits for those unwilling to integrate." Mair considers the fact that the federal government now wants to stop family reunification with immediate effect to be "the right signal".