Chancellor to Syrians:

Chancellor: “No longer a reason to flee with the fall of Assad”

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants to support "voluntary returnees". Financial aid of up to 1000 euros is to be provided for this.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/MAX SLOVENCIK, APA/AFP/Ferenc ISZA)

At the beginning of December, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer launched his own podcast entitled "Karl, how are you?", in which the ÖVP leader is shown as "up close and personal" as possible. Of course, current political topics are not neglected either. The current episode is about the upheaval in Syria and the slow progress of the coalition negotiations, among other things.

On the latter, Nehammer remarks in conversation with presenter Georg Wawschinek that it is "important to discuss everything now" before there is "stagnation and conflict" in a three-party coalition later on. "This is rightly tensing people up", said the Chancellor, who wants to "take this responsibility into account". It would also be the first time that three parties had to come together.

Bashar al-Assad has fled to Russia, statues and posters of the ruler are being removed.(Bild: APA/AFP/Mohammed AL-RIFAI)

Some regions already safe under Assad
In addition to the coalition talks, the situation in Syria following the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad is also currently receiving a great deal of media attention. As a first step, many European countries, which have taken in hundreds of thousands of people who fled the terror regime in Damascus, have now frozen all asylum procedures for Syrian citizens. In a second step, the aim is to encourage the refugees to return with "start-up aid" - 1000 euros are being launched in Austria.

"One reason for fleeing has been removed"
Nehammer emphasizes that the fall of the Assad regime has removed one reason for fleeing. "We now help anyone who wants to return voluntarily. There is up to 1,000 eurosfor this," explains the Chancellor, who emphasizes that the situation has already changed in recent years. There were already safe areas in Syria under Assad. As an example, Nehammer also cites the fact that many Lebanese and Syrians fled from Lebanon to Syria during the fighting between the Shiite terrorist militia Hezbollah and Israel "because it was safer there at the time".

Information from the Turkish government
When assessing the new situation in Syria, information from the Turkish government is also relied upon, as it is not only a neighboring state, but was also heavily involved in the overthrow of Assad.

The ÖVP leader also cited the images of Syrian refugees celebrating in Austria and Germany after the change of regime became known. "We want to go home," was also heard from many of those involved.