More humanitarian visas: Federal Councilor Baume-Schneider wants to issue more humanitarian visas

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However, it must first discuss the plans with the Federal Council and generally examine what is legally and politically feasible in this area, Baume-Schneider said in an interview with Radio SRF on Saturday. “Maybe you can push the boundaries of what’s possible a little bit.”

Humanitarian visas allow vulnerable people to legally enter Switzerland to apply for asylum. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the condition is that the person is immediate, serious and concretely life-threatening. Criteria such as the existence of ties with Switzerland and existing prospects for integration also played a role.

More refugees expected

Regardless of humanitarian visas, Baume-Schneider expects the number of asylum seekers to increase by the fall, she explains. However, their plans to house asylum seekers in containers at army installations met with a setback: the Council of States rejected the financing loan to create containers for 3,000 people. The Federal Council now hopes for a compromise solution that provides for the creation of 1,500 places.

Baume-Schneider added that to ensure that there are no major problems with the growing number of asylum seekers from Afghanistan, for example, more efforts are needed on integration and education. A concept must be developed for this in 2024.

So while the head of the Federal Ministry of Justice and Police in Switzerland fights for relaxation, accommodation options and integration, she reaffirmed her support for tightening the asylum law, which EU interior ministers agreed in principle on Thursday.

Baume-Schneider stressed in particular that a compromise had been reached and that the agreement would allow for a fairer distribution of asylum seekers in Europe.

European standards at the EU external border

However, the agreement is not without controversy. Leftists criticized the agreement, for example because it provides for migrants who have no prospect of staying at the EU’s external border to be housed in strictly controlled reception facilities under conditions similar to detention. There, it is normally examined within twelve weeks whether the asylum seeker has a chance of being granted asylum. If not, it must be returned immediately. Germany has unsuccessfully applied to exempt families from this regime.

Baume-Schneider left open whether she supported this request. However, she said there are European standards that must be followed in these reception facilities.

(SDA)

Source:Blick