Austrian chancellor backs expelling Kosovo teen

Austria's chancellor Saturday backed a hotly debated decision to expel a Kosovo teenager.

Izvor: AP

Sunday, 16.12.2007.

10:38

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Austria's chancellor Saturday backed a hotly debated decision to expel a Kosovo teenager. Arigona Zogaj was not home in September when authorities arrived to repatriate her family, who had refused to leave the country on their own accord after being denied asylum. Austrian chancellor backs expelling Kosovo teen The 15-year-old went into hiding for days while her father and four siblings were forced to return to Kosovo. She released a letter and video in which she threatened to kill herself if her family was not reunited in Austria. She is being allowed to remain in Austria until the end of the school year. Interior Minister Guenther Platter has defended his decision to expel the girl, noting that the family came to Austria illegally with the help of human traffickers after the father's initial application for asylum was denied. Backing down would result in a large number of economic refugees, he said on Friday, adding the case was being closely watched in Kosovo. In an interview with Austrian radio Saturday, Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said he had no doubt Platter had acted in accordance with the law but acknowledged that many Austrians may question the decision. In particular, Gusenbauer said, the public may wonder why Zogaj is being told to leave at a time when there is frequent debate in Austria about a shortage of skilled workers. "People will rightfully ask themselves the question, 'Why is there an economics minister who wants to import skilled labor from India when here we have a young girl already with us, already fully integrated, and who is supposed to leave Austria?'" Gusenbauer said. In an interview in Saturday's daily Kurier, Zogaj explained that because of Kosovo's high rate of unemployment she did not believe she would have a future there. She also said all her friends were in Austria. She said she would rather die than be deported. "I'm not going back to Kosovo alive," Kurier quoted her as saying. Determined not to return to Kosovo: Arigona Zogaj (FoNet)

Austrian chancellor backs expelling Kosovo teen

The 15-year-old went into hiding for days while her father and four siblings were forced to return to Kosovo.

She released a letter and video in which she threatened to kill herself if her family was not reunited in Austria.

She is being allowed to remain in Austria until the end of the school year.

Interior Minister Guenther Platter has defended his decision to expel the girl, noting that the family came to Austria illegally with the help of human traffickers after the father's initial application for asylum was denied.

Backing down would result in a large number of economic refugees, he said on Friday, adding the case was being closely watched in Kosovo.

In an interview with Austrian radio Saturday, Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said he had no doubt Platter had acted in accordance with the law but acknowledged that many Austrians may question the decision.

In particular, Gusenbauer said, the public may wonder why Zogaj is being told to leave at a time when there is frequent debate in Austria about a shortage of skilled workers.

"People will rightfully ask themselves the question, 'Why is there an economics minister who wants to import skilled labor from India when here we have a young girl already with us, already fully integrated, and who is supposed to leave Austria?'" Gusenbauer said.

In an interview in Saturday's daily Kurier, Zogaj explained that because of Kosovo's high rate of unemployment she did not believe she would have a future there. She also said all her friends were in Austria.

She said she would rather die than be deported. "I'm not going back to Kosovo alive," Kurier quoted her as saying.

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