- Italy’s migration officials are on the attack. Because of the high number of Mediterranean refugees, the country is currently no longer taking back so-called Dublin refugees.
- Switzerland is therefore currently unable to deport 184 people to the southern neighboring country.
- This increases the pressure on the asylum accommodation.
The State Secretariat for Migration (S.E.M) confirmed a report in the “NZZ am Sonntag” that Italy informed the Dublin states on December 5 about a temporary suspension of Dublin transfers. As a result, 184 people cannot currently be sent back to Italy.
According to the SEM, Italy is currently recording an “unusually high number of landings”. The capacities for the first admissions are therefore temporarily overloaded. Dublin refugees are people who have applied for asylum in Switzerland, but for whom Italy would be responsible as the country of entry according to the Dublin Agreement.
The 184 people are 152 people from the asylum area and 32 people who are illegally staying in Switzerland, as the SEM continues. Switzerland took note of the information from Italy and canceled some transfers that had already been prepared at short notice.
Pressure on cantonal centers is growing
However, the Swiss authorities assume that “Italy will soon be able to meet its obligations under the Dublin system again”. Transfers based on the bilateral readmission agreement between Switzerland and Italy are not affected by the measure.
For the cantons, Italy’s step comes at a time when they are already reaching their limits when it comes to accommodating the many asylum seekers. “These 184 people block scarce capacities that we would rather use for those seeking protection who can stay here longer,” said Florian Düblin, Secretary General of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors, in the newspaper report.