Austrian government prepares deportation plan for Syrian migrants

The Interior Ministry said a reassessment of about 40,000 Syrians granted status in the country over the last five years has begun.

Transcript

00:00The Austrian government says it has started preparations for a deportation program for Syrians living in the country.

00:07The decision followed the government's suspension of asylum applications from Syrian refugees

00:12and comes as millions of refugees are now able to return home.

00:17The interior ministry said a reassessment of about 40,000 Syrians granted status over the last five years has begun.

00:30Those who have become criminals, those who do not want to adapt to the cultural values in Europe, in Austria,

00:38or those who do not want to work and therefore live only on social benefits, are clearly prioritized.

00:45On Monday thousands of Syrians took to the streets of Vienna to celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

00:51Many in the Austrian capital waved the Syrian flags.

00:54Around 95,000 Syrians live in Austria, many of whom arrived during the migrant crisis of 2015 and 2016.

01:02The start of the civil war in 2011 forced some 14 million Syrians to leave the country.