329 new arrivals in emergency shelters in one day. The first Russian attack on Ukraine was almost two weeks ago when the state of Upper Austria was at its peak. There are now 18 Ukrainians a day.
As the number of arrivals decreases, so does the number of beds provided. There were 1600, now 500 are available in the reception centres. However, this number could be doubled within a day, “you always have to be ready,” said the country’s social department. “In the event of a large-scale Russian attack, we don’t know what to expect.” It takes three days to expand back to the original number of beds.
How many Ukrainian displaced persons are currently registered in Upper Austria varies. 6273 appear in the central register of residents, in the police record there are fewer: 5819. This is due to the fact that the register of residents has been recorded since the beginning of March, but the police only since March 12th. But only those who are registered with the police are entitled to the blue card and thus access to the job market and social benefits.
Quarters failed
On March 12, the state of Upper Austria also began to place Ukrainians from the emergency shelters in private accommodation. 2122 have been accommodated since then, 1818 places are still free. “This shows the overwhelming solidarity among the population and the great commitment of the aid organizations,” says the responsible state councilor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (VP). But there are many more private quarters.
1920 were reported, on average one offers space for two to four people. Before Ukrainian displaced persons can move in, however, the accommodations must first be checked. A little more than 600, i.e. every third person, has already been inspected by Caritas and Volkshilfe, but 315 of them failed. They were not suitable for accommodating the expellees because, for example, the transport connections were not good, and there was no shower, kitchenette or bed. The state’s free language course program will start on April 19th. According to the partners, the vocational training institute, the adult education center and the Austrian Integration Fund, the demand is high.
The accommodation situation is stable throughout Austria, said refugee coordinator Michael Takacs yesterday. 58,000 people from Ukraine have found refuge. 47,000 places for accommodation in 10,000 quarters were offered by private individuals. Only 17 percent of these are occupied so far, which is also due to the fact that the federal government has increased the number of its large districts. Some refugees have returned their displaced person’s passport and have returned to relatively safe areas in Ukraine. But Takacs only believes in a “calm before the storm”. (mis)
Source: Nachrichten
