Austria offers 1,000 euros to Syrian refugees so they can go back home

Following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, Austria’s conservative-led government announced on Friday that it is providing Syrian refugees with a “return bonus” of 1,000 euros ($1,050) to return to their homeland.

In a swift response to Assad’s ouster on Sunday, Conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer declared that a reevaluation of Syria’s security situation was necessary to permit the deportation of Syrian refugees.
It is impossible to deport individuals against their will until it is more evident which way Syria is going. The Austrian government has stated that it will prioritize voluntary deportations for the time being. Like more than a dozen European nations, it has also ceased to handle refugee claims from Syrians.

Nehammer is under pressure from the far right, much like many other conservatives in Europe, and the two parties frequently appear to compete with one another on tough-sounding immigration measures. In Austria, a member of the European Union, Syrians make up the largest group of asylum seekers.

“Austria will provide a 1,000 euro repatriation prize to Syrians who want to go back to their homeland. Nehammer stated in an English-language post on X that the nation now needs its citizens to rebuild.
It is unclear how many Syrians will accept the offer. Travel may not even be fully covered by the Austrian incentive because Austrian Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, has banned flights to the Middle East due to the security situation.

According to Turkish Airlines’ website, a one-way economy class ticket to Beirut, which is a popular starting point for people traveling by land to Damascus, in a month’s time currently costs at least 1,066.10 euros ($1,120.58).

With over 29% of the vote, Austria’s far-right Freedom Party won the country’s September legislative election. However, as no possible coalition partner was found, Nehammer is now in charge of coalition negotiations with the Social Democrats and liberal Neos.

$1 is equivalent to 0.9514 euros.