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Vienna in the refugee crisis: A cry for help from the federal government!
Vienna is facing challenges in caring for refugees from Ukraine. Current developments and political demands in focus.
Vienna in the refugee crisis: A cry for help from the federal government!
In Vienna there is a buzz about refugee care, especially with regard to the Ukrainian displaced people. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the situation has changed significantly. Many of the initial arrival centers that were initially set up are now closed, and only Vienna and a small facility in Linz still have active contact points for new arrivals. The Vienna facility has space for 242 people, but according to current information it is scheduled to close at the end of the year. This makes the challenge of providing accommodation for incoming refugees even more pressing.
In the summer of 2023 there were already reports of refugees who could not find a place in city accommodation. This is particularly alarming since 88,861 Ukrainians currently have displaced persons status in Austria. There were also 2,157 new arrivals in September 2023, which further complicates the situation. Compared to other federal states, Vienna has to bear the greatest burden: there are 10,864 Ukrainian refugees in basic care, while Tyrol only has 949. The city is therefore demanding that the federal government, in particular the Ministry of the Interior, take concrete measures to ensure primary care.
Conflict between city and federal government
A conflict between the Vienna City Council and the Ministry of the Interior is already clearly noticeable. While Vienna is calling for a separate agreement to care for refugees from Ukraine in order to ensure the cooperative construction and financing of arrival centers, the Ministry of the Interior is avoiding responsibility. It emphasizes that the solution must be found between individual countries. It is worth noting that the flat rate contribution of 190 euros for initial care will not be increased, which, according to the Vienna Social Fund, does not cover costs.
The city's intentions to respond to the additional expenditure of over one million euros remain uncertain. The long stay of refugees in the initial care centers results in additional costs that are not adequately covered. In particular, the question of what should happen to new arriving Ukrainians from January 2024 is looming and leaves a lot of uncertainty behind.
An innovative solution could possibly be a pilot project in Vorarlberg that would allow Ukrainian refugees to be directed directly to their permanent accommodation by telephone in the future. Such approaches could make organization and accommodation easier and ease some of the burden on cities.
Telegram and its role in refugee communication
But the platform also struggles with its fair handling of content and data protection. Critics say it is also used for recruitment and propaganda by extremist groups, further fueling public debate about its role in the information age. Despite these challenges, Telegram has continued to grow in popularity and is also expected to be an important tool for displaced people to seek information and support.
The situation surrounding the refugees in Vienna remains tense and it remains to be seen whether the required measures and new approaches will bring lasting improvement. It is clear that a good hand is required here - both from the city and the federal government in order to best meet the needs of the refugees.