The new Austrian Government has discontinued the reunification of family members for asylum claimants in the country with immediate effect citing widespread concerns on immigration.
Referring to EU emergency provisions relating to national security, the government said it would temporarily freeze follow-on rights for asylum claimants already settled in the country.
The head of the three party coalition government Chancellor Christian Stocker explained that the country was no longer able to absorb new immigrants adequately.
"The capacity of Austria and its systems to take in (people) has limits," said the government headed by Chancellor Christian Stocker of the centre-right People's Party (OVP). "Due to the enormous influx of people, these systems are already at full capacity, or have already exceeded their capacity limits."
Critics have labelled the move a breach of human rights by the Austrian government with Shoura Hashemi, head of Amnesty International Austria saying “It's not a good sign when the term in office begins with a clear violation of applicable international law,".
Christian Stoker took office earlier in the month after a long stretch of negotiations to form a Government following a September parliamentary election victory by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO).
The new three-party coalition which includes the People’s Party, the center-left Social Democrats and the liberal Neos, has vowed to implement strict new asylum rules in a bid to address worry over immigration, one of its major campaign points.
Recent security incidents in the country including a stabbing rampage last month suspected of being carried out by a Syrian asylum seeker that killed a 14-year-old boy has caused negative reactions over immigration to be on the rise.
The government said that in 2023 and 2024, about 18,000 people came to Austria as part of family reunification, including 13,000 school-age children or minors.
"Given the number, it's obvious we should act responsibly and temporarily press the stop button," Stocker said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Azerbaijan on Thursday and Friday to mark the fifth anniversary of Victory Day and strengthen bilateral ties....
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of November, covering the latest developments you need to ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has described a newly signed transport corridor between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a “historic deal” for international ...
A new phase of U.S.–Central Asia cooperation emerged at the White House, with discussions centred on mineral resources, trade, and long-term regiona...
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, a...
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Azerbaijan on Thursday and Friday to mark the fifth anniversary of Victory Day and strengthen bilateral ties.
U.S. President Donald Trump has described a newly signed transport corridor between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a “historic deal” for international peace.
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, as Lebanon and the United Nations warned of renewed border tensions.
Kazakhstan and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in critical minerals, the Kazakh presidential press service Akorda announced on Thursday.
The Champions League match between Qarabağ FK and Chelsea ended 2–2 at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday (5 November).
A French court has postponed the trial of a suspect linked to the Louvre jewellery heist in a separate case, citing heavy media scrutiny and concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.
A 35-year-old man drove his car into pedestrians and cyclists on France’s Oléron island on Wednesday, injuring at least nine people in an attack that has drawn attention from national leaders.
More than 10,000 supporters of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rallied in Belgrade on Wednesday to show their backing for the populist leader’s policies, following a year of anti-government demonstrations.
Dutch smartphone maker Fairphone is entering the U.S. market, betting on growing demand for repairable and sustainable devices as right-to-repair legislation gains traction, according to Reuters.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump has described a newly signed transport corridor between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a “historic deal” for international peace.
Kazakhstan and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in critical minerals, the Kazakh presidential press service Akorda announced on Thursday.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported that Hurricane Melissa left behind almost 5 million metric tons of debris across western Jamaica when it struck the island on 28 October.
U.S. Senate Republicans have blocked a resolution that would have barred President Donald Trump from launching military action against Venezuela without congressional approval, despite growing concern over recent U.S. strikes in the southern Caribbean.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment