Here they have finally found safety. The Ukrainians who are queuing in the reception centers in Linz and Wels have fled thousands of kilometers behind them. And they often wait for hours, much to the annoyance of their helpers, who have contacted the OÖ Nachrichten.
In order to gain access to social benefits and the labor market, Ukrainians must register. But in Upper Austria there are only five devices where you can do that.
“The system urgently needs to be expanded,” says Social Provincial Councilor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (VP). “Registration must be faster and more efficient.” Of the scanners used to check Ukrainian passports, three are located at the train station in Linz, one in Wels and one at the airport. The immigration police and the Ministry of the Interior are responsible for the purchase and allocation of new equipment, and talks took place last week, says Hattmannsdorfer. Four more devices are scheduled to arrive in Upper Austria this week.
New reception center
Registration takes ten minutes per person with a modern passport with biometric data, 20 with a conventional one. The police are responsible for registering refugees.
With the new devices, the registration offices in Linz and Wels will be “massively expanded,” says police spokesman David Furtner.
One is currently working on the construction of another reception center. Another facility is to be built in the Salzkammergut, “near a very large refugee camp”. In order to simplify registration, mobile teams will also be used in the future. Two mobile units, which the police will form together with the Red Cross and the state of Upper Austria, should drive directly to the facilities and scan on site. “In this way we can also accommodate bedridden people,” says Furtner.
Around 5,000 Ukrainian refugees have been registered in Upper Austria so far. One in five was accommodated in emergency accommodation. To make registration easier, the police set up their own hotline on Sunday: under the number 059133 404040 Registration appointments can also be booked for several people from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Source: Nachrichten
