Thread by @tanjamaier17

Austria chooses not to make it possible to survive as an asylum seeker here. Ukrainians on state support fall under this legal category. They are essentially banned from paid work if they receive free housing. Total madness and apparently no political will to change.

https://twitter.com/LukasGahleitner/status/1541920922533351429

The entire response to the Ukraine refugee crisis has to be seen in the context of the inherent racism behind Austria's asylum policy: designed on purpose to be nothing more than bed/bath/bread, the ban on legal work is intended to send a message to Muslim men: do not come here.

Except now white Ukrainian women and kids are falling under this legislation, so the government is like oh maybe we could change it, and then voices such as the one mentioned by Lukas (name isn't important imho) say no because then we would have to treat everyone better. No go.

And yet volunteers and others keep putting Ukrainians fleeing war zones on buses to Austria, telling them someone is waiting here. But the truth is, no one is waiting here. You cannot provide for your family on €215 per adult per month, €100 per kid. They want to work: cannot.

Two Svetlanas wrote me yesterday: we want to work on farms. But they live in a dorm. The moment they get a paid job they will lose the roof over their heads and the €215. So what will they do? Those who can go home will do that eventually. But many have nowhere to return to.

The legislation theoretically needed to fix things wouldn't be that complicated. One-time payment now of like €500 to each Ukrainian. Lift the income limit much higher (why would you ever ban legal work?). Increase monthly payments to those who cannot work. Add child benefit.

But since Ukrainians and all other asylum seekers cannot vote, probably nothing will change. The private sector will continue to jump in, although alarm bells from major charities re food, Tanja and Mario delivering supermarket gift cards. The roof is collapsing and no one cares.

@threadreaderapp pls unroll

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