Austria’s Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum has announced that deportations to Afghanistan will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, reflecting the evolving security situation in the country, Euro News reported.
Following Germany’s recent action of deporting 28 ‘convicted criminals’ to Afghanistan—the first such deportations since the Taliban regained power in 2021—Austria has indicated its intention to begin similar efforts.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer stated that Austria aims to collaborate closely with Germany on joint deportations. He noted that Interior Minister Gerhard Karner has engaged in extensive negotiations with his German counterpart to find solutions for deporting Afghan and Syrian nationals. The next step, according to Nehammer, is to facilitate direct deportations to Afghanistan or Syria.
Karner has praised Germany’s recent decision to deport convicted criminals to Afghanistan, calling it “very good.” In March, he emphasized the need for discussions on potentially reassessing the EU-wide ban on deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, labelling the issue as “necessary and urgent.”
Karner noted that under current EU law, Austria is unable to repatriate individuals to such countries. He highlighted that Afghanistan and Syria account for approximately three-quarters of all asylum applications in Austria.
Austria’s Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs are actively working to implement deportations to Afghanistan, with ongoing discussions involving several European countries.
The Austrian interior minister expressed satisfaction with the renewed possibility of deportations, stating, “This is a demand I, and Austria, have long advocated for. It’s essential that we resume deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, and this will happen from Austria in the future.”
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The suspension of deportations was primarily due to the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan, which raised significant concerns. Karner emphasised the importance of collaborating with regional partners to facilitate direct returns to Kabul or elsewhere in Afghanistan.
Until recently, Austria, like Germany, had not deported anyone directly to Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Previously, Afghan nationals were deported only to third countries.
While the proposal for joint deportations with Germany has garnered support across Austria’s political landscape, some officials have cautioned that each case should be carefully evaluated to ensure thorough scrutiny.
