Austria asylum applications drop to 10-year low

Vienna [Austria], August 20: The number of new asylum applications in Austria dropped to its lowest level in 10 years, recording 244 applications in July, representing a year-on-year decline of approximately 65 percent.
Official figures revealed a 48 percent drop in the total number of new and extension asylum applications to 840 in July, while overall applications from January to July fell by 45 percent to 5,743.
Austria's Ministry of the Interior confirmed a sharp decline in irregular migrant apprehensions along the border with Hungary, with 339 cases recorded from the beginning of the year until 1st August. This compares to roughly 16,000 cases in 2023, marking a decrease of approximately 98 percent over three years.
The ministry attributed the drop to the successful dismantling of human trafficking routes in eastern Austria in cooperation with Hungarian authorities through Operation Fox, alongside ongoing enhancements to border security frameworks.
Source: Emirates News Agency