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Austrian gov't settles on new asylum application figures

Xinhua, June 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

The recent debate within the Austrian government over how many asylum applications have been made so far this year appears to have seen a resolution on Thursday.

Chancellor Christian Kern had Tuesday indicated only 11,000 applications have counted toward the maximum limit of 37,500 set for this year, down from what had previously been believed to have been double that.

The downward-adjusted figure had caused a stir within the coalition government ranks on Wednesday, with senior officials protesting both the much larger provision this would cause for further applications, and the lack of clarity in how the numbers are calculated.

The interior ministry has Thursday however provided a new figure of 18,950 applications so far this year, relative to the 37,500-application limit, that both parties to the coalition government appear to have accepted.

In response the chancellery office declared itself on board with the revised figure of the interior ministry. It additionally noted that the uncertain outcome of the EU deal with Turkey means Austria must be well prepared for higher asylum seeker numbers over the coming summer. Endit