Austria and Serbia make life difficult for smugglers – Austria
Austria and Serbia have a common goal to act against illegal migration. The cooperation between the two countries is to be further intensified in this regard.
Joint action against illegal migration is the main goal of Austria and Serbia. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said that the smugglers should be “made life difficult” at a joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vulin on Tuesday. advocates further strengthening the cooperation. The fight against organized crime and drug trafficking were named as further priorities.
Austria and Serbia want to take action against illegal migration
Nehammer pointed out that 144 people smugglers and more than 6,600 “irregular migrants” were arrested in the Balkans in early September during global focus actions chaired by Frontex and under the operational management of the Joint Operation Office of the Federal Criminal Police Office in Vienna. In addition, Austria currently has up to ten officers on the Serbian-North Macedonian border. This contingent is to be reinforced with two drones by the end of the year.
According to Vulin, the cooperation is already bearing the first fruits, as robbers and drug traffickers were arrested in Austria after a tip from Serbia. In addition, around ten kilos of heroin were seized from the coordinated action. An intensive partnership is also necessary in the area of money laundering, since many Serbian criminals “launder” their money in Austria by buying real estate. The intention is to be “one step ahead” of the criminals.
Message to migrants: “Don’t go on your way”
Nehammer added that the migratory pressure in winter will decrease due to the weather conditions, but that numerous migrants located in the Western Balkans will continue to try to move from one Balkan country to the next with the aim of Central Europe. “Don’t go on your way, it doesn’t make sense”, postulated Austria’s interior minister in this regard, because in the end it was only the smugglers who were using. “Austria and Serbia have common goals in the fight against illegal migration: preventing illegal entry and transit, combating smugglers with all our might and promoting repatriations. Only if we send the right signals to the countries of origin will we be less likely to embark on dangerous journeys. And returns already at the gates of the EU mean less burden for the Balkans and less burden for Austria and the EU “, emphasized Nehammer.
“Every irregular migrant we stop at the Serbian border is one fewer in Vienna. Every irregular migrant we return to their home country is one fewer that Austria has to bring back. Protecting the Serbian borders is also protecting Austria’s Border. We will protect our countries. We will not allow ourselves to have to change our way of life. We are not a parking lot for migrants, and we do not want to impose the problem on our neighbors.
Stricter controls at the border with Hungary
Because of numerous apprehensions on the Hungarian border and in Vienna, the controls on the border to and in Hungary have been intensified. In addition, there are joint “trilateral strips” of Austria, Hungary and Serbia on the future Hungary border planned by Serbian. Vulin added that, above all, there was a lack of a unified line on the part of the European Union. “Europe has to say whether it wants the migrants or not.” Ask in the countries of origin whether migrants are told where, whether they can come or not. “If people have already sold their property and are on their way, then it is too late. I recommend that to EU policy.”
Austria is currently presenting a return conference together with the EU Council Presidency Slovenia. Among other things, the course of action against illegal migration – such as repatriations at the gates of the EU – will be debated.