Significant increase in asylum applications

According to a report by the German newspaper Die Welt, asylum applications from Turkey to 29 European countries increased by 102 percent in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period last year.

The newspaper based its report on a reliable document from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) that has not yet been published but has been submitted to the European Commission.

According to the report, a total of 801 thousand 459 asylum applications were filed with 27 European Union countries, as well as Switzerland and Norway, from the beginning of this year until October 3.

Citizens of Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey rank at the top of the list for applications. The number of applications is expected to exceed 1 million by the end of the year, approaching the peak seen in 2016.

In 2016, approximately 1 million 230 thousand asylum applications were filed in European countries due to the civil war in Syria.

Asylum applications to Germany increased by 74 percent

A significant increase in asylum applications was observed in Baltic countries, which have received heavy migration due to the war in Ukraine. A 168 percent increase was recorded in Latvia compared to the previous year, and a 119 percent increase in Estonia. Germany follows in third place with a 74 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Of the asylum applications filed in Germany, 27 percent are from Syrian citizens, 17 percent from Afghan citizens, and 16 percent from Turkish citizens.

In some European countries, a decrease in the number of asylum applications was recorded in terms of percentage. This decrease was 56 percent in Denmark, 54 percent in Malta, and 52 percent in Cyprus.

The country with the fewest asylum applications is Hungary. In the country under the administration of anti-migration Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, only 26 asylum applications have been filed since January.

News Source: 12punto