Austria, alongside several EU nations, is pushing for the repatriation of Syrian refugees in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapse.
Ahead of the upcoming EU summit, Austria will host a special meeting of like-minded countries to discuss migration strategies, focusing particularly on Syria.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer emphasized the need for a comprehensive European strategy for Syria. “Europe urgently needs a comprehensive strategy for Syria. It will not benefit Europe if Syrian citizens are simply redistributed across Europe. On the contrary, the strategy should be aimed at offering the people of Syria a perspective in their homeland. Syria now needs its Syrian citizens,” Nehammer stated.
The United Nations predicts that approximately one million Syrian refugees will return to Syria between January and June 2025, with the majority expected to come from Turkey.
Nehammer also revealed that a meeting with “like-minded states” will take place before the EU summit for further discussions on migration and Syrian repatriation. Austria, along with Italy, the Netherlands, and Denmark, is leading the push for a shift in European asylum policy.
In addition to repatriation, the discussion will address the restoration of Syria’s infrastructure and the promotion of democratic development in the war-torn country.
