VIENNA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Austria will take in 50 refugees from Italy as part of the European Union relocation program but will not take part in the program thereafter, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.
In a press release from Austrian Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, it was said that the previous coalition government under the Social Democrats and Conservatives agreed to the relocation of the refugees under pressure from the European Union.
This particular agreement can no longer be reversed, Kickl said, meaning Austria will honour it, though it will not take in any further refugees via the relocation program.
The minister said the stance from the current coalition government on asylum issue is clear, it is against quotas and relocation. It is instead in favour of providing aid to crisis regions, and for protection of the European Union's outer borders.
