Sweden follows EU trend of suspending asylum applications of Syrian refugees

Sweden's Migration Agency has temporarily halted the processing of asylum applications from Syrian refugees, citing the rapidly changing situation in the country.

This decision follows similar measures taken by migration authorities in other European nations, including Denmark and Germany, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Carl Bexelius, the head of the agency's legal department, explained the rationale behind the move:
"Given the current circumstances, it is nearly impossible to assess the reasons for granting protection. The situation is highly unstable, and recent developments raise complex legal questions that require thorough analysis. A similar decision was made in response to the Taliban's seizure of power in Afghanistan in 2021."

The suspension, which is expected to remain in effect for a limited period, allows time for a more comprehensive evaluation of the situation in Syria.

"Sweden is not alone in this approach. Earlier on Monday, migration authorities in Denmark and Germany announced comparable measures, and more countries are likely to follow," the press release noted.
The agency emphasized that Sweden retains the authority to suspend decisions when security conditions in a country change abruptly or when insufficient information is available.

Notably, Sweden took in the second-highest number of Syrian refugees in the European Union in 2015-2016 behind Germany, and the highest number per capita.

To recall, on December 9, several European countries, including Germany, France, Austria and several Nordic countries, said that they would freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians, a day after former president Bashar al-Assad was ousted.

World leaders and Syrians abroad watched in disbelief over the weekend as Islamist-led rebels swept into Damascus, ending Assad's brutal rule while also sparking new uncertainty. While Berlin and other governments said they were watching the fast-moving developments in the war-ravaged nation, Vienna signaled it would soon deport refugees back to Syria.

By Khagan Isayev