Illegal migration

Denmark and Austria are playing on the same team

The Dane Bek and Karner understand each other despite their different political backgrounds(Bild: BMI/Karl Schober)

The EU Parliament recently passed a reform of the EU asylum system with a number of tightening measures, but countries such as Austria and Denmark do not go far enough. The aim is to introduce asylum procedures outside Europe based on the British Rwanda model. This is currently not legally possible, but Vienna and Copenhagen are campaigning for legal changes.

An international migration conference was held in the Danish capital on Monday, focusing primarily on cooperation with third countries. Representatives from third countries such as Albania, Tunisia and Mauritania as well as EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson and international experts took part in the high-profile event.

Two ministers in step
Danish Migration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek and Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner are one body and one soul, although they come from different political families. The Dane is a passionate social democrat, but when it comes to migration issues, there is no room between the two of them. The fact that Karner and Bek play in the same team was also demonstrated by the fact that they happened to present each other with the same gift: a jersey from their own national soccer team. As luck would have it, they are also in the same color.

Danish Migration Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek is a passionate social democrat, but when it comes to migration, there is no room between him and Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.(Bild: BMI)

(Bild: Petja Mladenova)

(Bild: Petja Mladenova)

Karner sees social structure in danger
"Not even 30 percent of asylum seekers really need protection. This causes problems for our social systems, our healthcare systems and jeopardizes security in the country," said Karner in a presentation at the conference. "We can only achieve a better system through cooperation. Isolated measures by individual countries do not help, they only lead to changes in flight routes and play into the hands of smugglers. Illegal migration is a global problem that must be solved together."

"We cannot go on like this"
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also had clear words. She described the migration trend as worrying. "Of course no one leaves their home without a reason, but we simply can't go on like this. We must have control over our own borders. This must not be left in the hands of smugglers. They should not be allowed to decide for us."

Karner and his colleague Bek also see movement in their favor, despite much resistance to further tightening of asylum laws in Europe. Ministerial colleagues who took part in the conference are of the opinion "that new approaches are needed and that we should change the rules at European level in this direction". "We all agree that it doesn't work the way it is at the moment," said Karner. Representatives from Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden and the Czech Republic were among those present from Europe.