How safe is Vorarlberg, Mr Gantner?

VOL.AT: How do you assess the situation in Vorarlberg? Do we have a problem with young migrant groups who show no respect for the state and the executive?

Security Minister Christian Gantner: In general, we experience that respect for authorities has decreased. We encounter this both in the official and political area, as well as in the private sector. In contrast to the neighboring countries mentioned, for example, we are pursuing a different goal in the area of ​​integration. Our goal is to accommodate the refugees in the best possible way in small and very small quarters and to distribute them to all communities in our country in the best possible way.

We currently have refugees in 81 out of 96 communities. For us, this is the basis for a functioning integration. This shows that it works in the vast majority of cases. The incident mentioned is being analyzed very closely by us and there have already been consequences. Measures have also been taken to prevent such a situation in the future as best as possible. However, this is by no means comparable to the situation in Germany.

VOL.AT: How do you deal with the criticism from right-wing populist currents that Austria has developed into an asylum catchment area compared to other countries?

We are committed to our obligation to the federal government, which obliges us to take in refugees according to the number of inhabitants via the basic welfare agreement. For us, however, it is also very clear that this task cannot only be dumped on the states and municipalities. We therefore also have very clear demands on the federal government. Such as rapid and consistent action by the EU against people smugglers and illegal migration. A functioning protection of the EU’s external borders, which results in the closure of the Balkan route, is indispensable.

I am also in favor of EU-wide priority actions by the police, coordinated internal border controls and a uniform visa regime in the EU member states. It is unacceptable that, for example, third-country nationals can generally enter some EU countries without a visa. In addition, it is necessary to distribute the refugees fairly among the EU countries. And finally, faster asylum procedures and an expansion of the repatriation agreements with the countries of origin are still required.

VOL.AT: How do you assess the Schengen-critical course of Chancellor Nehammer and Interior Minister Karner during their visit to Bulgaria?

Security Minister Christian Gantner: If the procedure contributes to improving the situation described above, we are fine with it. Only an asylum system that works across Europe has a future. As the European Union, we must also be able to protect our borders accordingly.

VOL.AT: How does the cross-border exchange with the executive in Germany or Switzerland work?

Security Minister Christian Gantner: There is good and trusting cooperation between the Austrian executive and colleagues in Germany and Switzerland. Security knows no national borders.

VOL.AT: How safe is it currently on the streets of Vorarlberg, also in view of the difficult personnel situation with the police? How are the federal and state governments planning to compensate for staff shortages here?

Security Minister Christian Gantner: Vorarlberg is still one of the safest countries in the world. Even if attempts are repeatedly made to worsen the subjective feeling of security – not least unfortunately also through deliberate influence – the actual figures speak a different language. Neither the official crime statistics nor the actual situation give any cause for concern. The Vorarlberg police officers do an excellent job and, for example, still and repeatedly have the highest clear-up rate in Austria. The good contact between our police and the civilian population plays an important role here. On the part of the state of Vorarlberg, we will go to the federal government with concrete measures across party lines in order to improve the situation of staff shortages.