Europeans Put Syrian Asylum Applications on Hold
X/ @BigIssue
December 10, 2024 Hour: 10:01 am
According to UNHCR, Syrian refugees have applied for asylum in more than 130 countries.
Several European countries have suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrian nationals in light of the new circumstances following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government. Meanwhile, in neighboring countries, the number of Syrians returning home remains limited and cautious.
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The downfall of Assad has sparked hope for changes that could enable the return of displaced nationals who fled the country over the years seeking refuge in different parts of the world.
According to UNHCR, Syrian refugees have applied for asylum in more than 130 countries. However, the majority live in neighboring countries within the region: Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and especially Turkey, which hosts approximately 3 million refugees.
While Europe is not the primary destination for displaced Syrians, some countries, such as Germany, have taken in significant numbers over the years. Germany saw a massive influx of Syrian refugees in the mid-2010s, nearing one million arrivals.
Now, Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has announced it will temporarily halt the processing of new asylum applications from Syrian nationals, pending further developments in Syria.
Deputy Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sonja Kock stated that “there is the possibility of deprioritizing asylum decisions,” a measure BAMF can use in unclear situations like the current one in Syria. This means asylum applications are not rejected but instead moved to the back of the queue, while other cases take precedence. Currently, this measure affects 47,270 Syrian applications.
The UK has taken a similar stance. Its Home Office, which oversees approximately 5,700 Syrian asylum applications, announced a suspension of processing until the current situation in Syria can be assessed. British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper explained the decision as necessary to “closely monitor” the rapid developments in the Arab country, now mired in uncertainty.
France has followed suit, with the French government halting the processing of Syrian asylum requests. A foreign affairs source confirmed, “We decided to adopt a measure similar to Germany’s. An hour ago, we suspended the review of asylum applications.”
Other countries, including Austria (nearly 15,000 applicants), the Netherlands (13,000), Belgium (more than 4,000), and Switzerland (fewer than 500), have also frozen asylum requests due to recent developments. Switzerland, which has historically received hundreds of Syrian asylum applications annually, saw a peak of 4,700 in 2015.
On Tuesday, immigration authorities in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway joined other European nations in announcing a pause on Syrian asylum applications in response to the ousting of Assad’s authoritarian regime.
Spain, however, has taken a different approach. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares stated on Tuesday that suspending the processing of Syrian asylum applications is “unnecessary” and “not on the table.”
“At present, the number of asylum applications from Syrian nationals is small, unlike other EU countries that have already taken measures. No additional measures are needed,” he noted, adding that Spain’s embassy in Damascus “will remain open and operational.”
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, highlighted that the new situation in Syria could pave the way for “fair solutions to the world’s largest forced displacement crisis,” while cautioning that the situation remains uncertain.
Despite the initial wave of optimism following Assad’s fall, many are approaching the idea of returning home with caution. Some of the three million Syrian refugees registered in Turkey may begin their journey back. Turkish authorities opened a new border crossing on Tuesday, though the number of returnees remains modest, according to Turkish media.
Approximately 500 Syrian refugees now return to their homeland daily, nearly double the number before Assad’s fall, Turkish authorities reported. Border crossings are being prepared to accommodate up to 15,000 people.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that the current crossings can handle “3,000 voluntary and dignified returns daily,” a capacity sufficient for now but with plans to increase it fivefold. Jordan, which has received over 1.3 million Syrians since the crisis began in 2011, reported a small number of returns.
According to Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya, “What previously prevented Syrian refugees from returning was primarily security concerns, mandatory military service in Syria, and fear of persecution under the previous regime. Those concerns no longer apply.” However, only around 100 people returned from Syria to Jordan on Tuesday, reflecting limited willingness to return at present.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE