Austria has announced the expulsion of a convicted Syrian to his home country, marking the first such action within the European Union in recent years, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
The decision is part of a “strict and therefore fair asylum policy,” Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said in a press release. He added that this sends a strong message, indicating Austria’s systematic expulsion of convicted criminals, including to Syria, and vowed to continue such repatriations with resolve and rigour.
The Alpine nation, which had not carried out such an expulsion in about 15 years, is pleased to “lead the way in Europe.”
In late April, Karner visited Syria with his German counterpart to discuss the return of refugees and ways to strengthen security cooperation.
Following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the debate on welcoming Syrians resurfaced in Europe, with several States announcing suspensions of asylum application processes amid a surge in domestic support for far-right parties.
Austria, home to nearly 100,000 Syrians who fled their country's civil war, has taken further steps by initiating procedures to revoke the status of about 2,900 refugees and halting family reunification measures, a policy the new conservative-led government aims to extend to all nationalities.
The government is under pressure from the nationalist FPÖ party, which, although in opposition, is the country’s leading party in polls and elections.
The Austrain authorities have also offered €1,000 to Syrians willing to go back home, and 350 have voluntarily returned since late 2024, compared to 200 in total in 2023 and 2024, according to official figures.
