Meeting in Vienna

Asylum meeting: Nehammer receives British Prime Minister

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to visit Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) in Vienna next week. The topic will be asylum procedures in third countries, the Federal Chancellery announced on Saturday. The British Parliament approved the controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda in April. Nehammer also wants a new asylum model for Europe with procedures outside the EU. The exact date of the visit was not disclosed. 

"The only way to really prevent illegal migration, apart from effective external border protection, is asylum procedures outside the EU. We must solve the problem at the gates of the EU. This is the only way we can prevent the human suffering that people take upon themselves when they put themselves in the hands of people smugglers," Nehammer demanded ahead of the visit. "Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and I are on the same side here with our clear stance."

Already exchanging views on asylum strategy
According to information from the Federal Chancellery, Nehammer and Sunak have had several exchanges in recent weeks due to the British asylum plans. Within the EU, Nehammer believes that his demand is in line with several heads of government, such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederikson.

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP)(Bild: Reinhard Holl)

Currently, European legal norms do not de facto provide for the possibility of asylum procedures in third countries. In addition to the topic of migration, current geopolitical issues are also expected to be discussed at the meeting.