Many criticisms of the migration summit with Hungary and Serbia

On Friday, Chancellor Nehammer will invite Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to a migration summit in Vienna at the Federal Chancellery. This is the third peak in this configuration. Non-governmental organizations and political parties have already criticized them.

Austria. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has defended his decision to work with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic against criticism. Nemer stressed that it is important to support those countries that protect their borders. In view of the insufficient intervention by the European Union, it is necessary to provide assistance yourself. Nehammer expressed these positions in the run-up to the third migration summit, which he will host in Vienna for the first time and welcomes Orban and Vucic.

“The third migration summit will strengthen this axis between Austria-Hungary and Serbia and further tighten the check on asylum. Protection of external borders must also be given top priority in the EU, and we will continue to work for this at all levels. To work together to stop irregular migration even before it reaches European soil , particularly by increasing cooperation with safe third countries.”

Conditional cooperation

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) emphasized the need for cross-border police cooperation in order to effectively combat cross-border crime. He emphasized that cooperation with Hungary and Serbia in this field is close, non-bureaucratic and successful. The focus is on fighting gangs of smugglers who put lives at risk in their illegal trade.

In October, Nehammer, Orban, and Vucic met for the first time in Budapest, followed by a meeting in Belgrade a month later. The most significant outcome of these meetings was Serbia’s commitment to ending visa-free travel for nationals of certain countries such as India or Tunisia. This measure was taken after Austria noticed a massive increase in asylum applications from these countries. As a result, asylum applications in Austria have dropped dramatically. The counselor concluded that this development is evidence of successful meetings.

Controversial collaboration

Human rights organizations point to the attacks on democracy, human rights and the rule of law by Orban and Vucic. The continued high number of illegal immigrants in Austria also shows that they are not particularly effective in combating illegal immigration. Serbia registered 800 asylum applications in the first half of the year, while Hungary recorded only 22 asylum applications. “During the same period, about 24,000 persons seeking protection were registered in Austria, the vast majority of whom came to Austria via Serbia and Hungary. In general, less protection has been granted to titles in Hungary in the last ten years than in Austria in the last two months.”

The Greens were not pleased

The Greens are not enthusiastic either: “It is likely that this summit will only lead to more radical and impractical demands – because they violate fundamental rights and human rights – and contribute to further isolation of Austria both at the EU level and at the international level,” the foreign policy spokeswoman criticized. The Greens, Ewa Ernst Dzidzic, Summit in the daily “Osterreich”.

“Hungary should make its contribution”

“Hungary’s lack of solidarity” was also noted by SPÖ’s security spokesman Reinhold Enwallner, who, for example, leads “Operation Fox” to the point of futility by “releasing people smugglers”. Hungary and Serbia will hardly allow asylum applications on their soil and prevent them through illegal pushbacks or legal subterfuge. Nehammer and Karner “must make sure that this grievance ends and, above all, on Orban, they must insist that Hungary, as a member of the European Union, make its contribution and finally show its solidarity with Austria.”

If FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl is going well, Nehammer, like “Viktor Orbán, must also act against mass illegal immigration,” Kickel demanded in Thursday’s broadcast for “immediate asylum cessation, real border protection including That’s refunds, materials in lieu of cash benefits and consistent carry-overs.” If Nehammer and Karner lacked the courage or political will to do so, “they should resign immediately and arrange for new elections so that the federal government led by the FPÖ as the only stable force can ensure this reversal in immigration policy”.

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