The number of Armenians seeking asylum in Europe in the first quarter of this year has decreased by 12%, and this is 200 people less versus to the same period of last year; this year, in the first three months, 1355 Armenians sought asylum in Europe.
As recently reported by “Liberty” radio, referring to the European statistic department, Eurostat, the majority of applications of Armenians was rejected, in the first quarter of 2013, 1500 decisions were made regarding the citizens of Armenia, of which only 125 have been positive, the rest were rejected.
According to Eurostat, to receive asylum, Armenians mostly have applied to France, the government of this country has rejected the most, after France our people apply mostly to Germany, and then Belgium.
What is the reason that these European countries refuse providing a shelter, it is not possible to give an answer to this question accurately and on macro level”,- said Gagik Yeganyan, head of MTA State Migration Service in the interview with Aravot.am.
According to him, Armenians, who are trying to receive asylum in Europe, always think that someone has to look after them. “Given the fact that they say surrendered, it is not so, no one is obliged to look after. Seeking asylum is to ask for defense from the authorities of other country based on the risk to be subjected to pursuit, belonging to any political and social group, racial or sexual minorities, and other characteristics. People think that when they go and surrender, they will appear in the privileged class, and all good conditions of the country are going to be opened before them, and social goods of the country are going to be immediately provided to them. Actually, it is not so.”
As presented by Mr. Yeganyan, those “surrendered” in Europe say that they are subjected to persecution in their homeland. “There are international standards, against which cases of persecution they should be protected, and they have exact information whether there are really the kind of persecution in Armenia or not.”
A number of European countries have toughened their asylum standards, in response to this observation, Mr. Yeganyan said,- “Yes, for example, if until 2010 many were granted the chance to Belgium to receive free treatment, and it granted a ground to the person to receive a temporary permit of residence, starting from the 2nd semi-annual of 2010, 2% out of 100 received such a chance. Practically, this road is closed. If you want to go to Belgium for treatment, you need to pay in advance, and not to go there and be treated at the expense of their taxpayers.”
As mentioned by Mr. Yeganyan, many European countries are now more rigorously approaching to asylum seekers, and if earlier they did not have a lot of information, today, as said by the service manager, they are well informed than most of us and know that much information about those “surrendered” does not meet the reality.
As said by Gagik Yeganyan, there are 5 international standards, no matter how the country tighten or not tighten the conditions, it is obligated to defend the individual by granting an asylum or residence of permit. “Now, many on hearing that in doing this they can establish residency and get right to work, according to their imagination it is to surrender, and based on suspicious information, they gather suitcases and leave. And the officials over there are absolutely reluctant when the cases do not meet the requirements of the law to give even a small part of their country’s goods to foreign nationals.” To note that according to Eurostat data, for the last 12 months, 5300 Armenians sought asylum in Europe, 11035 people from Georgia, about 6 300 from neighboring Turkey, and 14 thousand people from Iran. This year, during the first quarter, 650 people from Azerbaijan have applied for asylum.
Nelly BABAYAN
