2009-08-13 Itävalta: Itävallan presidentti torjuu pakolaispolitiikka kritiikin

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http://www.austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2009-08-13/15536/Fischer_rejects_asylum_policy_criticism

Fischer rejects asylum policy criticism

By William Green

President Heinz Fischer has dismissed criticism of Austrian asylum policy from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

He said in an interview in today's (Thurs) edition of the Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper the country had an "above-average approval rate" for asylum applications by Chechens after UNHCR spokesman Roland Schönbauer claimed in an ÖRF radio interview yesterday that there had been a decline in Austrian approval of asylum applications by Chechens that did not correspond to reality on the ground.

ORF-Informationen reported that only 30 per cent of such applications were being approved at present, compared to 80 per cent two years ago.

But Fischer said he personally rejected "a cowardly asylum policy" and would intervene with the interior ministry in cases in which there had been "an inhumane response" by Austrian officials or in which decisions had been made that had not been in accordance with the law.

The president also called for "a sensible and just sharing of the burden of asylum seekers among European countries" since some countries "had it easier" than others.

Green party foreign-affairs spokesman and former party leader Alexander Van der Bellen called on Austria to keep its doors open to Chechen refugees.

But Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) General Secretary Martin Strutz said most Chechens were "problem asylum seekers."

The controversy about Chechen asylum seekers comes after the interior ministry said that asylum applications had soared in the first six months of the year.

The ministry said applications had risen by 40.6 per cent in the first half of 2009 to 7,518, compared to 5,347 in the same period of 2008, and by 60 per cent in June to 1,298, compared to 815 in the same month last year.

Officials added that most of the applications, 1,672, had come from citizens of the Russian Federation.

People's Party (ÖVP) Interior Minister Maria Fekter has proposed amending the law on foreigners to speed up deportations and hinder failed asylum seekers from going underground to escape eventual deportation.

Fekter also wants to be able to deport foreigners who have been granted asylum if they have been convicted of crimes and sentenced to at least one year in prison.

Austrian Times

Itävallan presidentti Fischer torjuu Yhdistyneiden kansakuntien pakolaisasiain päävaltuutetun toimiston (UNHCR) kritiikin Itävallan pakolaispolitiikkaa kohtaan.

Presidentin mukaan Itävallan hyväksyy Tsetsenialaispakolaispakolaisten hakemuksia yli keskiarvon toisin kuin UNHCR:n väittää. UNHCR:n puheenmies ilmoitti eilen Itävallan yleisradion (ÖRF) haastattelussa, että tsetseenien hakemusten hyväksymis määrä olisi vähentenyt. ÖRF:n mukaan nykyään hyväksytään vain 30% hakemuksista kun pari vuotta sitten määrä oli 80%.

Itävallan vihreiden edustajan mukaan Itävallan tulee pitää ovat auki tsetseeni pakolaisille. Itävallan tulevaisuuden liiton BZÖ:n mukaan tsetseenit ovat "ongelma turvapaikan hakijoita".

Yleisesti turvapaikanhakijoiden määrät ovat nousseet 40.6 % Itävallassa vuoden 2009 alkupuolella ja 60% kesäkuun aikana verrattuna edelliseen vuoteen. Suurinosa hakemuksista on tullut Venäjän Federaation kansalaisilta.

Kansanpuolueen (ÖVP) sisäministeri on ehdottanut lainmuutosta nopeutetusta käännytyksestä ja turvapaikan hakijoiden katoamisen vaikeuttamiseksi käännytys tapauksissa. Lisäksi hän haluaisi mahdollisuuden niiden pakolaisten karkoittamiseen, jotka ovat syyllistyneet rikoksiin joista on tullut vähintään vuoden vankilatuomio.