Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) speaks out against a deportation stop to Afghanistan. “It is easy to demand a general ban on deportations to Afghanistan, but on the other hand to negate the expected refugee movements,” Nehammer told the APA. The FPÖ spoke of a “bluff” in view of the fact that the last deportation took place two months ago. In the office of Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, such deportations are currently not considered possible.
“Anyone who needs protection must get it as close as possible to their country of origin,” Interior Minister Nehammer said on Saturday in a statement to the APA. “A general ban on deportation is a pull factor for illegal migration and only fuels the inconsiderate and cynical business of smugglers and thus organized crime,” explained the head of department. It is almost exclusively young men who apply for asylum in Austria, he emphasized. “As Minister of the Interior, I am primarily responsible for the people living in Austria. Above all, that means protecting social peace and the welfare state over the long term.”
Video: Analysis of the Afghanistan situation
In the office of Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), reference was made on Saturday to the statements made by the Green Party leader on Thursday, according to which, according to experts, deportations to Afghanistan are currently legally and factually not possible. Nothing has changed in the situation, emphasized a spokeswoman for Kogler when asked by the APA. “Legally, the individual case reviews will mean that this is no longer an option,” Kogler said on Thursday on “oe24.TV”. “In fact, it is not possible because there is no landing permit for the airmen in Afghanistan” – and it is “almost unimaginable that deportation flights will be organized in the next few weeks”.
Read about it: UN warns of “humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan”
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) wants to rely on regional and international cooperation in the fight against smuggling: “We will not let the neighboring states down when it comes to border management and the fight against organized crime,” he said.
FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl spoke of an “embarrassing bluff of the turquoise”: “The ÖVP is trying with all means to preserve the appearance that they would continue to carry out deportations to Afghanistan. The fact is that the last deportation flight took place two months ago and since then not a single Afghan was brought out of the country, “said the party chairman in a broadcast on Saturday. Kickl also pointed out that by July 2021, the 2,514 asylum applications had only been compared to 199 deportations of Afghans. “In truth, the Turquoise are fully on the line of the green coalition partner,” said Kickl.
The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the last deportation flight took place in June (16th). In 2021 there were four charter deportation flights to Afghanistan (until July) – as many as in 2017 as a whole. In 2018, six such flights were carried out, in 2019 nine and in the previous year only three due to Corona. On average, such deportations would be carried out every two to three months. This is a “completely normal interval,” said Interior Minister Nehammer’s office. The last planned deportation flight at the beginning of August had been rejected by Afghanistan, among other things with reference to the Covid regulations, it said from the department.
In addition to Sweden, France, Denmark and Germany have now also suspended deportations to Afghanistan. The Ministry of the Interior is now planning to organize and carry out national charter flights itself instead of the international Frontex deportation flights, a report in the “Kleine Zeitung” confirmed in the Ministry of the Interior. According to the ministry, it is now necessary to clarify with Frontex whether the self-organized charter flights run through the agency and are thus financed from the EU budget – or whether Austria would have to pay the costs itself.
In response to an APA request on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said that the Austrian embassy responsible for Afghanistan in (the Pakistani capital) Islamabad would of course remain in close and constructive contact with the responsible Afghan authorities. The embassy is prepared to “request all necessary steps” from the Afghan authorities in Kabul.
The Ministry of the Interior pointed out to the APA on Saturday that – apart from the deportation flights – Afghans are still forced to bind abroad to other EU countries in accordance with the Dublin Regulation. Since the beginning of the year this has been a total of 80 (as of the end of July); In July alone, there were 20 such transfers, according to the Interior Department.
“Hell on Earth”
Gerald Tatzgern, the head of the office to combat human trafficking and human smuggling at the Federal Criminal Police Office, warned on Saturday in an interview with the APA about false signals to the smugglers or those affected, which would be triggered by the announcement of a general deportation stop. Many smugglers are already trying to push their business even more on the basis of these reports from several European countries. To this end, they would give “guarantees” that those affected would no longer be deported after they were dragged. This is currently motivating especially those Afghans to resort to the smugglers who no longer live in Afghanistan, but already outside the country, Tatzgern referred to “millions of Afghans in Iran”. “You support the tractor business with this signal,” he said.
Meanwhile, the IG Autoinnen Authors also demanded a “general ban on deportation” to Afghanistan from the government on Saturday. “None of those deported there will be safe for their lives if they fall into the hands of the Taliban,” said an open letter. “The Austrian federal government, which is happy to act as the courageous fighter against radical Islamism when it comes to local Muslims, is now threatening to become the stooge of the jihadist troops.”
Gerald Schöpfer, President of the Red Cross, yesterday called on the Austrian government to end the deportations to Afghanistan. “Red Cross representatives on site and representatives of the Red Crescent agree that this is hell on earth,” said Schöpfer.
It would not be humane to send people there now. Austria must meet its international obligations to protect human rights. “I would like politicians who practice walking upright. Who respect the rule of law, the obligations that Austria entered into in good times, even in times when it is not popular,” demanded Schöpfer.
