The war is over and it is safe for Syrian refugees to return home. Assad is no longer a threat and nations like Austria, Greece, the Netherlands, UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, and Norway have suspended new refugee applications. Yet, what about the four million Syrian refugees seeking asylum in the European Union? Reports are circulating the obvious – they have no plans to return home.
“Why should you go back when you have everything here?… In Syria I no longer have a home, a job or friends. I will only fly to Syria for holidays and to visit family – probably next year when the airport is open again,” one 27-year-old male refugee told Welt news outlet.
Syria’s new leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani conducted an interview with an Italian news outlet one day after taking power. His first priorities are to restore security and stability in all Syrian cities, saying his people have been “exhausted by injustice and tyranny.” His second priority is “to bring back the millions of Syrian refugees who are scattered around the world,” he stated. “Their human capital and experience will help restart the country. My appeal goes out to all Syrians abroad: Syria is now a free country that has regained its pride and dignity. Come back. We need to rebuild, to get our country on its feet again, and we need everyone’s help.”
His third priority should perhaps be his second: strategic planning and restoring basic essential services like electricity and stabilizing the food supply. Still, Syria needs patriots to come home to help rebuild their nation.
Regardless, European nations have never had the resources to fund millions of asylum seekers. Thanks to former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany boasts the largest Syrian population in the EU. HALF of all welfare recipients in Germany are of foreign origin or 2.7 million people. They have been comfortably living in Germany with no plans to return, in fact, 23% of Germany’s population is now migrants of children of migrants. This is one of the reasons we are seeing people turn to the AfD Party as the people do not want to subsidize the lives of millions who no longer even qualify as refugees.
Breitbart reported the same sentiments among refugees living across Europe. As one UK-based refugee stated: “After seven years of living in the UK, I don’t think I will go back… Some of those now in charge of Syria were members of al-Qaeda just a few years ago. I don’t think Syria is safe now, in a few months and possibly not even in a year.” The cost of supporting each refugee has spiked to 41,000 pounds per year.
Ideas such as free air travel back to Syria and cash incentives have been thrown around, but that does not outweigh the luxury of living in a developed nation free of charge and often above the law.
