The temporary halt to family reunification for refugees is now becoming serious. The Council of Ministers approved the corresponding regulation on Wednesday. In a few days, the regulation will be enacted by the main committee. According to this, applications can be submitted, but they will not be processed for at least the next six months, with exceptions.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) justified the measure in the press foyer after the government meeting once again with an overload of the systems in Austria. The head of the department cited, for example, an increase in youth crime, especially by Syrian offenders, as well as the temporary need to set up container classes.

Recently little family reunification

Of course, the temporary halt is unlikely to change much at the moment. In May, there were only 70 entries under the title of family reunification - mainly because applications from Syrians have not been processed since the change of power in Damascus. Karner justified the continued suspension of applications by stating that a more sustainable solution is needed.

Normally, with the adoption of the regulation in the main committee, applications for family reunification should only be processed in exceptional cases. This would essentially concern cases where there are no suitable caregivers on site for young people. This can refer to both young people who have traveled to Austria in advance and those whose parents left them behind in their country of origin during their escape.

Deportations to Syria

Austria recently also took serious steps towards the plan to resume deportations to Syria. The deportation of a convicted criminal ultimately failed only because the Syrian airspace was closed due to the escalation of the Middle East conflict. Karner left open how they will proceed further on this matter when asked.

The Interior Minister emphasized not commenting on individual cases. The goal must be - and he is working hard on this - to be able to deport again to both Afghanistan and especially Syria. This primarily concerns criminals and threats.

(APA/Red)

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