In response to the new political situation in Syria, the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has decided to stop accepting asylum applications from Syrian citizens. Similar measures have also been introduced in Austria, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

‘The situation in Syria is precarious, which makes it difficult to predict further political developments,’ a spokesperson for the German office said in an interview for the Spiegel weekly. 

According to the office, this decision impacts some 47,270 unprocessed asylum applications from Syrians, of which some 46,000 were first-time applications. 

Spiegel reports the situation in Syria shall not affect earlier asylum decisions.

Austrian news service Heute reported that Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer instructed Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to suspend all asylum applications for Syrian refugees. He also recommended a detailed analysis of previously granted asylum.

“In this context, I have instructed the ministry to prepare an orderly programme of returns and deportations to Syria,” Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said in an interview with Heute.at. 

In addition, the family reunification programme has been suspended. 

Austria now has 12,886 Syrian refugee cases pending in Austria, of which 1,146 relate to family reunification. The ministry said it will monitor the international situation carefully. 

The Danish Refugee Council, on the other hand, has announced the suspension of the processing of asylum applications of Syrian citizens until the situation in the country is clarified. 

The Swedish Migration Board announced it had stopped issuing decisions on residence permits for Syrian nationals. 

“In the current situation in Syria, it is difficult to assess the rationale for extending legal protection to applicants,” said Carl Bexelius, a representative of the office.

The Czech interior ministry also halted the processing of asylum applications for Syrians on Monday. The head of the ministry, Vit Rakushan, explained that such steps are taken when there is a significant change in a country.

The UK also decided to join the EU states in halting the asylum request process from Syrians. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the situation was „moving extremely fast after the fall of the Assad regime„.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the end of Assad’sregime and called to restore „peace and stability„.

Source: PAP, BBC

Photo: X @MailOnline

Tomasz Modrzejewski