published20. September 2022, 10:42
Prohibited Stays“The Federal Council must better secure the borders”
According to the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security, there were 5,826 unauthorized stays in Switzerland in August. SVP National Councilor Thomas Aeschi demands measures from the Federal Council – and is criticized.
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- Sailor Walser
- Christina Pirskanen
The situation is drastic and Switzerland must take this seriously. If this does not happen, Switzerland would also find itself in a scenario similar to the refugee crisis of 2015.
20 minutes/Simon Glauser
“The higher numbers of illegal stays are mainly due to transit through Switzerland,” said SP National Councilor Fabian Molina.
20 minutes/Simon Glauser
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The Federal Office of Customs and Border Security has published new figures on illegal stays in Switzerland – in August there were 5826 cases.
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SVP National Councilor Thomas Aeschi calls on the Federal Council to take urgent measures to better secure the Swiss border.
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Other National Councilors do not see it the same way: SP National Councilor Fabian Molina emphasizes that the high number of unauthorized stays is due to transit through Switzerland.
The Federal Office of Customs and Border Security (BAZG) recorded 5,826 unauthorized stays in Switzerland in August. This is a significant increase compared to August a year ago.
SVP National Councilor Thomas Aeschi immediately tweeted the newly published numbers and wrote: “The number of illegal migrants is exploding! When will the Federal Council decide on urgent measures to secure the Swiss national borders?”
Aeschi demands controls at the eastern border
Compared to 20 minutes, Aeschi continues: “In Austria, the same conditions prevail as during the refugee crisis in 2015. The illegal transfers show that part of Austria is spilling over into Switzerland.” The situation is dramatic and Switzerland must take this seriously. Aeschi therefore demands: “The Federal Council must now take urgent measures to better secure the Swiss border.”
If this does not happen, Switzerland would also find itself in a scenario similar to the refugee crisis of 2015. According to Zug, controls must be introduced especially on the eastern border. In order to be able to prevent such a scenario, Aeschi also wanted the Federal Council to seek more cooperation with the eastern countries in order to be able to immediately send back refugees who dared to cross the border illegally.
Unlawful stays are due to transit
SP National Councilor Fabian Molina sees things differently. The humanitarian crisis and human rights abuses in Afghanistan are still ongoing and refugees in Europe want to live with their families, he says. “The higher numbers of illegal stays are mainly due to transit through Switzerland,” says Molina. However, this has no influence on the asylum applications.
However, there is criticism for Aeschi’s tweet: “Mr. Aeschi deliberately spreads false statements. The number of asylum applications has nothing to do with the figures from the BAZG and obviously the border security works, otherwise there would be no figures for entries, »says Molina.
“Spreading hate and hate speech is of no use to us all”
“We knew in advance that the number of refugees who want to get to Switzerland will increase,” says Green National Councilor Sibel Arslan. She is sure that the asylum centers and authorities can handle the situation. But it was a challenge, because the right-wing parties had been followed for too long, making legal escape routes impossible.
Aeschi’s Twitter message doesn’t surprise Arslan: “Of course he’s always dealt with the subject and can now say: ‘Look, I was right’,” says Arslan. That not so many people might live with us is an open secret. Switzerland now needs measures that are necessary for both the refugees and the Swiss population. “Spreading hate and hate speech is of no use to us,” says the National Councilor.
Claimed asylum system
Because of the war in Ukraine, Switzerland has so far taken in more than 63,000 people in need of protection from Ukraine. Irrespective of this, according to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), more than 12,000 asylum applications were received by the federal government by the end of August. “We expect that around 19,000 asylum applications will be submitted by the end of the year,” says Lukas Rieder from the SEM.
These numbers bring back memories: According to the SEM, almost 40,000 asylum applications were submitted during the refugee crisis. Despite the Ukrainian people seeking protection and the planned asylum applications, the Swiss asylum system is not yet on the verge of collapse: “The asylum system is under heavy strain due to the large number of people displaced from Ukraine and the increasing number of new asylum applications. However, the asylum system is designed for fluctuations due to many years of experience, »says Rieder. Should a situation similar to that in 2015 arise, be prepared.