Switzerland has made the decision to continue its suspension of return assistance payments to Moroccan and other North African asylum seekers who have previously filed asylum claims in other European nations under the Dublin regulation. This decision comes after thorough evaluations indicated that the financial aid was serving as an incentive for individuals to submit claims with minimal chances of receiving approval.
The return assistance payment, which amounts to approximately 1,000 Swiss francs, was initially designed to promote voluntary repatriation and facilitate the reintegration of individuals back into their home countries. However, Reto Kormann, a spokesperson for the State Secretariat for Migration, expressed that in certain instances, the payment has evolved into an "undesirable pull factor" that attracts applicants to the Swiss asylum system.
Swiss authorities have indicated that asylum applicants hailing from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia face significantly limited prospects of being granted asylum status. According to the current regulations, only those individuals who have not previously lodged an asylum application in another Dublin state are eligible for the return assistance payment, provided they consent to return voluntarily.
Official statistics reveal that approximately 3,600 individuals from the Maghreb region sought asylum in Switzerland last year, while around 900 were subsequently transferred to other countries under the Dublin Agreement. This move to suspend return assistance payments reflects Switzerland's broader strategy to manage its asylum system effectively while addressing the challenges posed by applications from regions with low success rates.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
