EU Nations Halt Syrian Asylum Requests – Der Spiegel
Germany and Austria have suspended the processing of Syrian refugees following the overthrow of the Assad government by armed opposition groups. Read Full Article at RT.com
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Germany and Austria have put a stop to visa processing following the capture of Damascus by armed opposition groups.
Germany has suspended the processing of refugee applications from Syrian nationals while evaluating the security situation in Syria after the Assad government's downfall, as reported by Der Spiegel.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Berlin issued an order on Monday to halt decisions on asylum requests from Syrian applicants. This decision is expected to impact over 47,000 cases currently pending, but it will not affect any applications that have already been adjudicated, as noted by the migration service, according to Der Spiegel.
A range of opposition factions, including jihadists from Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and fighters from the US-supported Free Syrian Army, took control of Damascus on Sunday after a rapid advance throughout the nation. In light of this situation, the Syrian Army retreated, and Bashar Assad along with his family received asylum in Russia.
The circumstances in Syria remain uncertain, making it challenging to anticipate the political future of the country, a spokesperson from the German migration service told Der Spiegel. They emphasized that until a thorough assessment is completed, any decisions would be “on shaky ground.”
“The BAMF takes a very close look at the individual cases, including an assessment of the situation on the ground in the country of origin,” stated an Interior Ministry representative during a press briefing in Berlin.
Currently, approximately 900,000 Syrian nationals reside in Germany, with nearly 40% employed as of early 2024, according to data from the Interior Ministry and the Federal Employment Agency.
Observers suggest that the turmoil in Damascus may have implications for the Syrian diaspora in the EU, particularly affecting Germany, which is recognized as the world’s third-largest and the EU’s leading host country for Syrian refugees, according to the UNHCR.
Austria has also announced a similar move on Monday, ceasing all ongoing asylum requests from Syrian nationals. The Interior Ministry indicated plans to prepare “orderly repatriations and deportations.”
“Chancellor Karl Nehammer today instructed Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to suspend all current Syrian asylum applications and to review all cases in which asylum was granted,” the ministry stated.
At the beginning of 2024, around 95,000 Syrian citizens were residing in Austria, and about 13,000 asylum requests were pending as of late November, based on official statistics.
“We will support all Syrians who have found refuge in Austria and want to return to their homeland,” Nehammer stated on X on Sunday, adding that the security situation in Syria ought to be reassessed “in order to make deportations possible again in the future.”
Syrians have constituted the largest group of asylum applicants in Austria, with 12,871 applications recorded this year as of November.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
Germany has suspended the processing of refugee applications from Syrian nationals while evaluating the security situation in Syria after the Assad government's downfall, as reported by Der Spiegel.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Berlin issued an order on Monday to halt decisions on asylum requests from Syrian applicants. This decision is expected to impact over 47,000 cases currently pending, but it will not affect any applications that have already been adjudicated, as noted by the migration service, according to Der Spiegel.
A range of opposition factions, including jihadists from Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and fighters from the US-supported Free Syrian Army, took control of Damascus on Sunday after a rapid advance throughout the nation. In light of this situation, the Syrian Army retreated, and Bashar Assad along with his family received asylum in Russia.
The circumstances in Syria remain uncertain, making it challenging to anticipate the political future of the country, a spokesperson from the German migration service told Der Spiegel. They emphasized that until a thorough assessment is completed, any decisions would be “on shaky ground.”
“The BAMF takes a very close look at the individual cases, including an assessment of the situation on the ground in the country of origin,” stated an Interior Ministry representative during a press briefing in Berlin.
Currently, approximately 900,000 Syrian nationals reside in Germany, with nearly 40% employed as of early 2024, according to data from the Interior Ministry and the Federal Employment Agency.
Observers suggest that the turmoil in Damascus may have implications for the Syrian diaspora in the EU, particularly affecting Germany, which is recognized as the world’s third-largest and the EU’s leading host country for Syrian refugees, according to the UNHCR.
Austria has also announced a similar move on Monday, ceasing all ongoing asylum requests from Syrian nationals. The Interior Ministry indicated plans to prepare “orderly repatriations and deportations.”
“Chancellor Karl Nehammer today instructed Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to suspend all current Syrian asylum applications and to review all cases in which asylum was granted,” the ministry stated.
At the beginning of 2024, around 95,000 Syrian citizens were residing in Austria, and about 13,000 asylum requests were pending as of late November, based on official statistics.
“We will support all Syrians who have found refuge in Austria and want to return to their homeland,” Nehammer stated on X on Sunday, adding that the security situation in Syria ought to be reassessed “in order to make deportations possible again in the future.”
Syrians have constituted the largest group of asylum applicants in Austria, with 12,871 applications recorded this year as of November.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
