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More housing sought for asylum seekers

The Local Austria
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More housing sought for asylum seekers
Mikl-Leitner and Klug discussing asylum arrangements. Photo: APA (Schlager)

Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner of the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) says that existing quarters for asylum seekers will be extended and private quarters will be rented to house the flood of refugees coming into Austria.

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This step comes after Mikl-Leitner had previously announced that the main reception centre in Traiskirchen, a town near Baden in Lower Austria, would not be able to admit any more refugees.

This is due to the fact that Traiskirchen is completely overcrowded. It is only supposed to hold 480 refugees. In fact, more than three times as many refugees are accommodated there at the current time.

The interior ministry would also provide several rooms in its own buildings such as gyms. Furthermore there were talks with the Red Cross about helping out with the provision of several tents if necessary. "That would only be the last alternative for me," Mikl-Leitner emphasised.

"It's important for me that no war refugee is left out on the streets," Mikl-Leitner said. Once again she proposed housing asylum seekers in military barracks.

The military barracks in Linz-Ebelsberg in Upper Austria would be an "option where refugees could be provided with optimum support," she said. 

She expected an answer from Defence Minister Gerald Klug (Social Democrats/SPÖ) by Thursday, Mikl-Leitner added.

However, Klug has always rejected such proposals and that's why Mikl-Leitner has asked President Heinz Fischer, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces, for support.

The Governor of Upper Austria Josef Pühringer (ÖVP) told the news daily Kurier on Wednesday that the Ebelsberg option "can be done at any time".

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