Austria intensifies the deportation file and focuses on the deportation of criminal Syrians and Afghans
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that Austria will continue technical talks with the Taliban to deport criminal refugees to Afghanistan, emphasizing that the meetings focus on practical aspects rather than diplomatic ones.
According to the Austrian news agency (APA), Karner explained that representatives of the Taliban participated in technical meetings within the Ministry of the Interior, and the aim of these meetings is to find practical mechanisms for repatriating criminals to Afghanistan in cases that pose a threat to public safety.
The Minister of the Interior emphasized the issue of deportation to Syria, stating that Austria will continue to carry out deportations to Syria, especially for individuals convicted of committing crimes. He said that the handling of these cases should shift from exceptional individual decisions to an approach closer to the norm when a person has committed a serious crime. He confirmed that this does not include individuals who have become an important part of Austrian society, noting that these individuals 'have nothing to fear' from any deportation action.
Karner emphasized that the mass deportations to Syria demanded by some are unacceptable in a country that respects the rule of law, and that such measures will not take place 'as long as he holds his position,' as he put it.