Photo BGNES, archive
Austrian Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner confirmed Austria’s position against the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into Schengen.
Karner reported that 5,900 foreigners were voluntarily and forcibly removed from the country in the first half of this year – 20 percent more than in the same period last year. “In the first half of the year, more asylum seekers left Austria than new asylum applications were submitted,” Karner said at a press conference, quoted by local media, Sega writes.
Separately, according to the Ministry of the Interior, about 18,500 people avoided the asylum procedure by voluntarily leaving the country. “This is a positive balance, but it is not a cause for celebration, but an obligation to continue working hard in this direction,” said the Austrian interior minister.
Karner rejected accusations that Austrian police officers are indirectly involved in illegal “pushbacks” (a term used for migrants who are immediately sent back across the border). Carner stated in a radio interview:
“The fact is that ‘pushback’ is a forceful pushing back at the border. It’s illegal, it’s true. But it’s permissible to push people back at the border if they have no chance to enter legally. That’s what Austria does, that’s what Hungary obviously does, that’s what they do Germany with Austria, this is normal practice.”
Despite the downward trend in the number of asylum seekers, Karner wants Austria to continue vetoing the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area of free movement.
Border control is part of the successes, so the situation remains unchanged, the Austrian interior minister said.
Working on the post:
2023-08-01 13:15:00
#Austria #doesnt #Schengen
