"Reassessing the situation"

ÖVP-Dörfel wants to suspend asylum procedures for Syrians

Provincial Councillor Christian Dörfel(Bild: Horst Einöder/Flashpictures)

7300 Syrian citizens are currently pending asylum procedures in Austria. According to Integration Councillor Christian Dörfel, these people have little prospect of protection in Austria. The situation in Syria must be reassessed and, if necessary, deported.

In Upper Austria, there are 1379 people from Syria who are currently in an ongoing asylum procedure and are receiving basic welfare benefits, reports the office of Integration Councillor Christian Dörfel. The ÖVP politician says: "The new situation in Syria with the fall of the government there will also have an impact on Syrians in Upper Austria who have been granted asylum. After all, asylum is temporary protection, so a new situation in the country of origin also requires a reassessment of asylum status."

And further: "The immigration authorities must now determine whether the new situation in Syria changes the recognized reason for flight. If the reason for fleeing no longer applies, the asylum decision must be revoked and those affected must leave the country immediately," says the state councillor.

"Nobody knows what will happen in Syria"
 Green human rights spokesperson Ines Vukajlović sharply criticizes Dörfel's statements: "Assad has only been gone for a day. There has been a change of power in Syria and many Syrians are happy that his rule is finally over. But nobody knows at the moment what will happen next. Even so, State Councillor Dörfel can't wait to get the Syrians out of the country. As soon as the gunfire in Damascus has died down, the situation is apparently stable enough for him to have the asylum status of the Syrians reassessed. Anyone who calls for deportations instead of talking about reconstruction, democratic government formation, the protection of minorities and women's rights lacks any political vision.