Austria started evacuation flights from Moldova
Over 300 people seeking protection have already been brought to Austria. According to refugee coordinator Takács, the process was “smooth”.
During the first three evacuation flights so far, more than 300 Ukrainian displaced persons from the Republic of Moldova were brought to Austria. The south-eastern European state had contacted the European Commission and asked for war refugees to be taken on. Austria will bring a total of 2,000 Czech refugees from Moldova into the country, according to a broadcast by the Ministry of the Interior. Refugee coordinator Michael Takács spoke of a “smooth” process.
In the Republic of Moldova, there is cooperation with the local authorities, with UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Austrian employees – for example from the police, the Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum – are also on site. The flights were carried out jointly with IOM and Austrian Airlines, and a medical team is on board for every flight. Particularly vulnerable people should fly with them.
More flights in the next few days
“The cooperation with the countries, communities and the UN organizations IOM and UNHCR on the evacuation flights works extremely well. Since last Saturday, we have been the first EU member state to evacuate more than 300 people from Moldova,” said Takács. More flights are to be carried out in the next few days, and other EU member states are expected to start doing so at the end of the week.
Arriving in Austria, the refugees were transferred to federal and state accommodation. In consultation with the federal states, it has been ensured that the Ukrainians, some of whom have a high need for medical care, also find a coordinated medical environment.
24,000 people from Ukraine registered in Austria
According to the Ministry of the Interior, around 197,000 people have arrived in Austria since the beginning of the Ukraine war, 80 percent of them traveled on to other countries. To date, 24,000 people have been registered in Austria and have been given displaced person status.
In addition to the federal and state arrival centers and accommodation, 43,000 private accommodation places have also been registered via the coordination office of the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services (BBU). The BBU’s Ukraine hotline has received 25,000 calls since the end of February and has 26 Ukrainian-speaking employees.
Karner: “Please don’t be impatient”
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) thanked the aid organizations, federal states and municipalities. “The willingness to help in our country towards the Ukrainian war refugees is enormous, the cohesion is impressive and the processing works very well. There will still be free accommodation and help for Ukrainians in the next few weeks,” he continued.
(APA)