CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 02/2023

LE MONDE XYX UNHCR | INTERVIEW
Christoph Pinter
“Refugee problems cannot be solved alone.”
The head of UNHCR Austria advocates for swift and fair asylum procedures, praises the EU’s
policy regarding Ukrainian refugees and acknowledges two sides to Austrian asylum policy. He
does not want to tamper with the Geneva Refugee Convention.
Interview: Gerhard Bitzan
Photos: Ralph Manfreda
CD: Over the past few months, we have seen a
significant increase in the number of refugees
crossing the Mediterranean. Do you believe this
marks the beginning of a new crisis, similar to
what we experienced in 2015?
Pinter: I believe that, like any migration
route, there are fluctuations that we observe.
Whenever people attempt to reach Europe,
border control is strengthened, prompting a
reaction and the search for alternative paths.
As long as there is war, persecution and violence,
people will continue to seek ways to
escape. When one route closes, another one
opens. Our concern lies in the fact that the
Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest
routes, with refugees facing great dangers as
smugglers exploit their vulnerable situations.
However, while the numbers are increasing,
I don’t find them overly alarming.
In the first four months alone, we’ve seen
around 50,000 arrivals in Spain, Greece, and
Italy. Considering the European Union’s population
of 450 million, 50,000 individuals
should be a manageable figure that shouldn’t
trigger a crisis. However, such problems
cannot be solved alone; they require collective
efforts. As UNHCR, we extend our support
and are currently providing assistance
to the Italian government in Rome.
A significant portion of people crossing the
Mediterranean are fleeing for economic reasons,
seeking a better life. Can you understand why
many citizens in the EU do not support this?
Asylum is only granted to individuals escaping
war, violence or human rights violations.
When considering the Mediterranean
routes, it’s important to look at the specific
groups of people arriving. There was a period
when many Syrians were coming to Europe
through this route. Currently, we do
see people from countries where it is not
immediately evident that they are fleeing
persecution and qualify as refugees. Instead,
one could argue that they are rather migrants
than part of a refugee movement.
However, from our perspective, what matters
is that they are all in the same boat, so to
speak. That’s why it’s crucial to have an efficient,
fair and preferably expedited asylum
process to determine whether a person
needs protection or not. If they do not require
protection and the respective country
believes that there is no economic need for
them, it is within that country’s rights, while
upholding all human rights norms, to return
the person to their country of origin.
After Putin’s attack on Ukraine, there was a new
wave of refugees in many parts of Europe. How do
you assess the EU’s handling of Ukrainian
refugees?
It was crucial and appropriate for the EU
and its member states to activate the concept
of temporary protection, which means
moving away from the idea that every Ukrainian
– mostly women and children – has to
apply for asylum and go through an asylum
process before receiving protection. Granting
quick protection and associated rights
such as accommodation, medical care, etc.
has worked remarkably well overall. It was
certainly a significant achievement compared
to how other refugees are treated. However,
what we are seeing is that this occurred
more than a year ago, and the temporary
protection has already been extended once,
with a maximum possibility of another oneyear
extension. This system will eventually
come to an end, and we recognize that while
it initially worked well, it also has certain
weaknesses.
What are these weaknesses?
Specifically, I am referring to the fact that
refugees from Ukraine are placed in what is
known as basic care, which is actually intended
to support asylum seekers during the
asylum process. It has always been a temporary,
short-term arrangement for individuals
who typically cannot work. Now it
turns out that this initially successful system
has its challenges. Refugees from Ukraine
are allowed to work. However, it is difficult
to find a job that pays well enough to sustain
oneself. At the same time, they are no longer
eligible for basic care once they start earning
money. There has been a year-long discussion
on how to improve this situation,
but a breakthrough has not yet been achieved.
Austria’s asylum policy is often described as
highly restrictive. How do you generally assess
the refugee policy of the Austrian government?
We need to distinguish between two aspects.
On the one hand, there is a certain
restrictive rhetoric in Austria’s public and
CHRISTOPH PINTER
assumed the position of Head of the UNHCR office
in Vienna at the beginning of August 2011, having
previously served in an interim capacity. Pinter has
been with UNHCR for 13 years and is a highly
knowledgeable expert in Austrian asylum and immigration
law. He holds a doctoral degree in law and
has also been a lecturer at Karl-Franzens University
in Graz since 2004, where he studied law.
PHOTOS: XYXXYXYXY
PHOTOS: XYXXYXYXY
46 Cercle Diplomatique 2/2023
Cercle Diplomatique 2/2023
47