The report on the reception of refugees in Austria from Greece and Italy in the framework of the European Union resettlement program, which lasted two years and ends tomorrow, Tuesday, is extremely disappointing, as only 15 refugees were accepted instead of the planned 1.953 , a percentage that reached only 0,8%.
Under the program adopted by EU leaders in September 2015, Austria is obliged to accept the relocation of 26 refugees from Greece and 2017 refugees from Italy by 1.491 September 462.
In early April and in view of the controversy between the two parties of the Austrian coalition government - Social Democratic and Conservative Popular - over the relocation of refugees to Austria, the European Commissioner for Immigration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avlev , in the framework of the European Union program for the redistribution of refugees from Greece and Italy.
Shortly afterwards, the Austrian Minister of the Interior, Wolfgang Sobotka, of the ruling conservative People's Party, announced the immediate start of the resettlement program in Austria for refugees from Greece and Italy. to be granted asylum.
He had stressed that despite the fact that he considers "wrong" the European Union program for the redistribution of refugees from Greece and Italy to other European countries, Vienna, in compliance with its obligations, will proceed with its implementation.
At the same time, according to a correspondent of the Athens News Agency, he had pointed out that in 2016 Austria was the most burdened of all EU member states by the refugee issue, even more so than Germany.
Vienna finally had to make these relocations, as the request made in April to the European Commission by the Austrian Federal Chancellor and leader of the Social Democrats, Christian Kern, for a new exclusion of his country, was rejected by its president. Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
In his request to the European Commission, the Chancellor asked for her understanding that his country has already done enough for the refugees and should therefore be excluded again - that is, to extend the exemption for Austria until March 11 - from the program of relocation of refugees from Greece and Italy.
According to Vienna's firm argument, the number of asylum applications lodged in Austria in 2015, at 85.505, was higher than in Italy (83.245), which has seven times the Austrian population, while in Austria it was seven times higher. 36.000 applications in 2016, and compared to their population, the country received a double burden than Italy.
Source: Newsbeast.gr