EU nations puts on hold asylum submissions from Syrians

(MENAFN) Germany has suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrian nationals, following the recent fall of President Bashar Assad's government to opposition forces. This decision, reported by Der Spiegel, affects over 47,000 pending asylum requests, though decisions on already processed applications will not be impacted. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in Berlin stated that the pause will remain in effect until a full assessment of the security situation in Syria is conducted. This is due to the uncertain political climate in Syria, particularly after armed opposition groups, including Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) and the Free Syrian Army, seized control of Damascus on Sunday, prompting Assad and his family to seek asylum in Russia.

The BAMF explained that, in light of the rapidly changing situation, any decisions regarding asylum requests would be "on shaky ground" and require careful evaluation. The decision to halt the processing affects Syria’s significant refugee population in Germany, which includes nearly 900,000 Syrians, with a large proportion of them employed as of early 2024.

Austria followed Germany’s lead on Monday by suspending all ongoing asylum applications from Syrians. The Austrian Interior Ministry announced it would review all previously granted asylum cases and prepare for potential "orderly repatriations." Approximately 95,000 Syrians live in Austria, with around 13,000 asylum requests under consideration at the end of November. Austrian officials have indicated that deportations could resume once the security situation in Syria is reassessed.

This move by both countries may significantly impact the Syrian diaspora in Europe, especially in Germany, the EU’s largest host country for Syrian refugees.

MENAFN12122024000045015687ID1108985702