The Austrian news agency quoted the ministry as saying that the number of asylum applications filed by Syrians fell significantly in January, after a 55 percent drop compared to the same period last year, as only 618 Syrians applied for asylum, compared to 1,393 people in the first month of 2024.
The Austrian Interior Ministry announced that since the fall of the Assad regime last December, it has begun proceedings to prevent the granting of asylum to 2,400 Syrians, as part of a new policy announced by Interior Minister Gerhard Kerner, which includes suspending decisions on granting asylum to Syrians, in addition to preparing a plan for their deportation or voluntary return to their homeland.
The ministry said that new asylum applications filed by Syrians were currently being registered, but were not being processed. It added that 80 Syrians had chosen to leave Austria voluntarily since the fall of the Assad regime.
The Federal Agency for Care and Support said it had held about 440 counseling sessions to help Syrian refugees organize their return. People who choose to return voluntarily receive financial support of 1,000 euros, but such an agreement means they lose their protection status in Austria.