German Interior Minister in Vienna: Initiatives in the Migration Sector Topic

In a working meeting, Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and his new German counterpart Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) discussed joint initiatives in the migration sector at the EU level as well as bilateral issues on Friday afternoon in Vienna. In connection with Dobrindt's decision to also turn back asylum seekers at the Austrian-German border, Karner saw positive effects for Austria, especially in front of journalists.

Karner Praised Dobrindt

The Austrian Interior Minister praised the initiatives of his counterpart, who has been in office since May 6, in the migration sector during a joint press appearance with Dobrindt and described a "more robust EU external border protection" as a goal of both countries. It is good that Germany is clearly sending the signal to control the borders more strongly and intensively, said Karner. "This has the effect on Austria that we now have significantly fewer illegal apprehensions at this border (with Germany, note), but especially at the Burgenland-Hungarian border," said the Minister. At this time, he also had no evidence that there had been illegal rejections at the German border. Karner left unanswered the question posed by two journalists about what specifically happens to people turned back from Germany to Austria.

The increase in apprehensions at the border with more police forces serves the common goal of putting migration policy in Europe on a solid footing, Dobrindt also emphasized. "We see that we have aligned interests in Europe when it comes to strengthening security and taking measures against illegal migration," he said.

Announcement on Family Reunification

It was "very, very important" to him to come to Vienna after an inaugural visit to Paris and to be able to have a conversation in close partnership between Germany and Austria, explained the German Interior Minister, referring to an intensive exchange on joint action in Brussels. He specifically mentioned a quick implementation of the Common European Asylum System, which should be sharpened and hardened. He also discussed with Karner the return of individuals to Afghanistan and Syria, he recounted. The CSU politician also announced plans to abolish an "express naturalization" introduced by the previous German government and, as recently in Austria, to suspend family reunification for refugees.

(APA/Red)

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