Deportations and Family Reunification: These Are Karner's Plans

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) wants to permanently maintain the family reunification of refugees at a low level. According to current regulations, there is only the possibility of reunification in exceptional cases for up to one year. The subsequent quota "could certainly start at zero," he stated in the APA interview. In any case, they will remain at a "very low rate."

Karner wants to keep family reunification close to zero

Karner defended the suspension of family reunification. He is "deeply convinced" that this measure has contributed to the significant decline in asylum applications. Other European countries like Germany would therefore follow the Austrian example.

Recently, the Ministry of the Interior has begun dismantling border facilities in Spielberg and Nickelsdorf. Karner does not believe that they will be needed again. The goal is to reduce illegal migration to zero. Therefore, they will "rather be able to dismantle than need additional capacities." However, they do have reserve capacities.

Deportations to Afghanistan also sought

Karner once again defended the fact that a first deportation to Syria was carried out: "If we have prevented just one crime with this, it was already right." The demand of a UN sub-organization to investigate the whereabouts of the man in Syria is rejected by the Interior Minister: "We deport 13,000 people a year. You cannot check where each person is located."

The next step is likely to be deportations to Afghanistan, which is controlled by the radical Islamic Taliban: "It is to be expected that deportations to Afghanistan will occur." Karner pointed out that Germany has already taken the corresponding step.

Criticism After ECJ Ruling

The Interior Minister expressed criticism in connection with a European Court of Justice ruling concerning Italy, which requires a more precise definition of safe countries of origin. Although Karner does not see Austria as affected, he sees a need for European action: "The ruling already shows that Europe is challenged to tighten up in some areas, when I think of the European Convention on Human Rights." He therefore supports the joint initiative of several countries to give courts clearer guidelines for decisions that would make deportations possible.

Regarding considerations to make it attractive for Ukrainians living in Austria to return to their homeland, Karner cites a corresponding initiative by the government in Kyiv as the background. According to the assessment of Austrian authorities, about half of the Ukrainians in Austria would be willing to return home. These should also be supported in doing so. For the others, successes have already been achieved in integrating them into the Austrian labor market. Corresponding efforts should be continued.

Commission on Peršmanhof Operation Has Already Met

The police operation at an Antifa camp at Peršmanhof in Carinthia recently caused international discontent. Asked whether the executive has any training regarding such historically sensitive sites, the Interior Minister said that this is naturally the case. If he were to say now that the operation went perfectly, he would be rightly criticized for it, just as if he claimed that everything was wrong. Therefore, he has set up a "multi-professional" group as an expert commission to evaluate the events, from which he hopes to receive initial results by the end of September. The committee met for the first time on Friday.

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.