European countries freeze Syrian asylum applications
Following the departure of Bashar al-Assad, European nations have started to reconsider asylum requests from Syrian refugees.
Since 2011, over 6.6 million Syrians have fled their homeland due to the civil war, with around one million seeking refuge in the European Union. However, the recent rise of far-right parties in the EU has led to swift action from various governments, including Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland, to suspend asylum applications from Syrians.
Germany, which hosts the largest Syrian diaspora in the EU, announced a suspension of asylum procedures, citing the current "confusing" political landscape in Syria. The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, stated that the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees had decreed a "freeze" on asylum decisions until there is more certainty. According to the German authorities, 47,270 Syrian asylum requests remain unresolved.
Austria, Sweden, and Denmark have also temporarily suspended asylum procedures and are even re-examining previously approved cases. The Austrian Interior Ministry announced that as of December 9, “all current asylum application processes will be stopped,” affecting approximately 7,300 cases. With nearly 100,000 Syrians residing in Austria, the country has been one of the most welcoming in Europe. Family reunifications have been halted, and Austrian authorities are preparing a “repatriation and expulsion program” for Syria.
In Sweden, deportations have been suspended, and asylum applications have been frozen. Carl Bexelius, head of legal affairs at the Swedish Migration Agency, emphasized that evaluating protection claims is not feasible at this time. The far-right leader in Sweden has called for a review of residence permits for Syrian refugees in light of Assad’s fall.
Denmark has also halted the processing of asylum cases, with its Refugee Appeals Board citing the uncertainty following Assad's departure. The board noted that the decision currently impacts 69 cases and has postponed the departure deadline for 50 individuals eligible for deportation.
In Switzerland, the radical right-wing party, the Swiss People's Party, has demanded an immediate cessation of asylum for Syrians. Approximately 28,000 Syrians resided in Switzerland at the end of 2023.
Norway has similarly suspended the processing of asylum applications and is awaiting a stabilization of the situation in Syria. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) mentioned that it would neither reject nor approve asylum applications for Syrians at this time. Since the start of the year, Norway has received 1,933 asylum requests from Syria.
This shift in policy is reminiscent of the response in various European nations following the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan two years ago, when the situation in the country was suddenly deemed safe, and asylum claims were dismissed.
Author: Dan Alexe Translation by Iurie Tataru
