"For the first time in years Germany is no longer the most popular country to apply for asylum in the EU. A fresh survey by the Commission shows clear changes, especially in terms of the number of Syrians applying for protection," writes the paper "Welt am Sonntag", which reached the European Commission's confidential report.
It follows that the number of asylum applications in Germany decreased by 41 percent in the first 4th of this year, to 37 387. The highest number of applications were submitted in France (40 871) and Spain (39 318). Germany is in 3rd place.
Significant decline in the EU
The lowest asylum applications were lodged in Hungary (22 applications) and Slovakia (7). Both countries have a strict migration policy. According to the data published in the report, 210,641 people applied for asylum in the EU, Norway and Switzerland during the first 3 months of this year. This represents a decrease of 19 percent compared to the same period last year.
The most asylum seekers came from Venezuela (25,375), followed by Afghanistan (21,524) and Syria (15,388). The number of asylum applications submitted by Venezuelans increased by 44 percent. The number of applications for protection from Ukrainians (by 84 percent), Chinese (by 87 percent) and Indian (by 56 percent) besides increased significantly.
EC concerns
In the case of Syrians, there was a 56% decrease in asylum applications. In Germany, however, inactive a 4th of the applications for protection come from Syrians.
However, the EU assumes that the number of asylum seekers may shortly increase importantly again, given the current wave of arrests in Turkey and the unstable situation in the mediate East. This is peculiarly about Syria, where violent clashes occurred between supporters of the overthrown dictator Bashar al-Assad and muslim militants close to the fresh government in Damascus.
Additionally, the Syrian Coast defender was weakened by civilian war. According to the information "Welt am Sonntag", European Commission experts say that smuggling networks that have broken up after the fall of Assad can reorganise.
