Integration Will Become Mandatory for Refugees in the Future

According to the responsible minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP), "voluntariness in integration is now over." The amount of aid during a mandatory integration program is linked to the willingness to integrate, and family allowance for Ukrainians is tied to the willingness to work. The planned headscarf ban is more a question of child welfare than religion for the Minister of Integration, Family, and EU Affairs, she said in an APA interview.

Less Integration Aid for Refusers

The three-year mandatory integration program is to be linked with the reform of social assistance announced for autumn. It is intended to affect asylum seekers and those entitled to subsidiary protection, displaced persons, and asylum seekers with a high probability of staying. Those who, for example, unjustifiably miss German or values courses or do not register with the AMS, should "expect clear deductions" in the integration aid received during this time. It is not about expanding the budget, Plakolm said. After all, the number of asylum seekers has significantly decreased, and there is already a problem with repetitions and empty seats in courses.

Displaced persons from Ukraine are entitled to family allowance until October 31, and a successor regulation should be negotiated as quickly as possible, according to Plakolm. The entitlement should then be linked to the willingness to work, as displaced persons are allowed to work from day one. In a possible successor regulation, the individual life situation - such as caregiving duties - would be taken into account, the minister responded to the question of whether special regulations could be made for people with very young children.

Headscarf Ban for Plakolm a Question of Child Welfare

The headscarf ban for those under 14 in schools is also expected to come in the autumn. There will also be accompanying measures - girls should be empowered and discussions with parents should be held; school psychologists, child and youth welfare, and child and youth advocacy can be involved. What sanctions will be imposed if a girl does not remove the headscarf is still part of the final agreements.

In 2020, the Constitutional Court (VfGH) overturned the headscarf ban for the first time - among other things, on the grounds that the measure only targeted Muslims. "For me, it is clear that it is a matter of child welfare," said Plakolm, "it has less of a religious background for me because the headscarf has no place, especially for those under 14." It is also not prescribed in Islam.

Regarding social media platforms, there needs to be "more European control," for example, in age verification. Plakolm did not want to commit to a minimum age for use - first, a unified European approach is needed. Action must also be taken at the European level against platforms that inadequately control their content. Everything that is prohibited in analog life must also be sanctioned in the digital space.

"Open for Debate" on "Social Egg Freezing"

Unlike Women's Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ), she cannot imagine a mandate for a 50-50 split in parental leave. The possibility already exists, and parents know best what is good for their children. A working group is to provide ideas for incentives for more father involvement by the end of 2026. The minister can imagine measures that make it more attractive for employers to grant longer leave to people in leadership positions and enable them to better balance work and family life.

Plakolm would be "very open for the debate" on the topic of "Social Egg Freezing." Currently, freezing eggs for later fertilization is only allowed for medical reasons. However, the Constitutional Court could overturn the ban after a hearing in June. Any "measure that contributes to us having more children" can be well debated.

Addressing the Ukraine war and Hungary's frequent deviations, the EU Minister advocated for a focus on peace and a united European front. It makes no sense within Europe "for us to point fingers at individual member states and publicly dictate what we think of their domestic policies." As a neighboring country to Hungary, Austria has a strong mediating role; developments she does not agree with, she wants to address bilaterally.

NGO Criticism

Criticism of Plakolm's statements came on Wednesday from Amnesty International Austria. The proposal that asylum seekers should only have full access to social assistance after a three-year integration phase means "more poverty," the NGO wrote on X. "Stripping people who had to flee war and persecution of the last social safety net" is also constitutionally highly problematic and a violation of human rights; the planned headscarf ban is discriminatory.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.