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Refugees from Afghanistan have been arriving in Buchs SG on a regular basis for around six months. The cantonal police in St. Gallen put a temporary processing center into operation at the beginning of the year.
You will be greeted by border guards…
20 minutes/Jeremias Büchel
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Since the summer of 2021, there have been significantly more illegal entries of refugees from Afghanistan at the eastern border of Switzerland.
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In order to speed up their process, a temporary processing center was opened on January 3, 2022 in Buchs SG on the border with Austria.
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The cantonal police of St. Gallen, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), the relief organizations Heks, Swiss Red Cross (SRK) and the migration office of the canton of St. Gallen are housed there.
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Since the beginning of the year, cases involving around 700 refugees have been processed.
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The processes at the border and in the processing center were presented to the media on Wednesday.
Shortly before seven o’clock on Wednesday morning the night train from Vienna arrives in Buchs SG. Now the border guards have to act quickly, because they have to carry out identity checks throughout the train and remove anyone who does not have valid papers from the train. This morning there are 34 young men and teenagers. Women are not among them. “Not ten female refugees have arrived here since the summer of 2021,” says Simon Bless, head of the migration situation at the eastern border. Experience has shown that half of the people arriving are minors.
Green card from Austria
The young men are collected in rank and file on platform four and then taken in a column to the building of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) between the platforms. In front of the entrance, a border guard checks what papers are available. “Most of the time it’s a green asylum procedure card from Austria,” says Florian Schneider, spokesman for the cantonal police in St. Gallen. “Usually nobody has a passport with them.”
More cases of scabies than Corona
A border guard divides people into Afghans and other nationalities, as well as minors and adults. On Wednesday there are 31 Afghans and three from North Africa. An initial health screening is then carried out by the Swiss Red Cross. Corona is also an issue – everyone is tested. So far, only one case of corona has been identified. “Scabies is the bigger problem,” says Schneider. The thumbprint is then taken from all arrivals and compared with the Schengen Information System (SIS), which recognizes people in the Schengen area who have been declared illegal. Such are separated right at Buchs train station. The process at Buchs station is quiet and civilized. “The Afghans are not short-tempered. The cooperation is pleasant,” says Schneider.
Several authorities under one roof
After the triage at the Buchs train station, the refugees continue to the new temporary processing center “Migrationslage Ost”. This was opened on January 3, 2022 in order to be able to process the cases of the arriving refugees quickly. «The idea for this arose from the findings of the wave of refugees 2015 and 2016,” says police spokesman Schneider. Various authorities and organizations are housed in the center and work hand in hand. The refugees are first registered by employees of the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security (BAZG). There is also a security check. The Migration Office then conducts surveys for the Dublin procedure. Underage refugees are advised beforehand by employees of the Heks aid organization. A translator is present during the questioning.
Continue towards Paris
The majority of Afghans living in book arrive, do not want to apply for asylum in Switzerland. They are taken to an emergency shelter in the canton of St. Gallen. “Experience has shown that they only stay there for a few hours,” says Schneider. Most say they want to travel on to France or the UK. Since Afghans are considered to be in need of protection, they are allowed to do as they please. The situation is different for people from North Africa, who are increasingly joining the stream of Afghans. You will be returned to Austria as soon as possible. This year, 22 repatriations have already been completed. Almost 700 cases were processed in the processing center in the first three weeks of operation. The St. Gallen cantonal police are proud of the new center and the processes. “This allows us to carry out a humane and quick settlement,” says Schneider. In addition, the requirements of the rule of law are met. It is unclear how long the temporary center will continue to operate. As before, an average of 30 migrants per day arrive at the border between Austria and the canton of St. Gallen, entering the country illegally. As long as this remains so, the center will remain open. Operating costs of around three to four million Swiss francs are expected every six months.
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