Kosovars have become the largest group of applicant for asylum in Austria in January. They, as stated, with submitted 1,029 applications, surpassed and Syrians, who are fleeing the war in their country.

In January, 910 persons from Syria applied for asylum, and in third place were asylum seekers from Afghanistan (622), and then Iraq (286).

Last year, the Syrians were the largest group of refugees seeking asylum in Austria and second were Afghans, and Russians and then the citizens of Kosovo.

Interior Minister of Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, in the middle of last month, asked for the change of procedure on deciding on an asylum application. She stressed that she wants to be introduced a rapid procedure for resolving claims of citizens who come from so-called "safe countries", which include Kosovo.

A significant increase in the number of asylum requests from Kosovo is evident, despite the political situation which remains unchanged, bearing in mind that during the whole of 2014 in Austria, 1 901 citizens of Kosovo filed a petition, and in January of this year has already been submitted 1 000 request.

Also, as indicated by the Austrian authorities, there has been an increase in the number of asylum claims from citizens of Serbia. So in January last year, only 22 persons from Serbia applied for asylum, and in the first month 55.

Mikl-Leitner has assessed the current figures, primarily related to the citizens of Kosovo, as "the great emigration" because people were given false promises.

"We need urgently to introduce faster procedures on deciding on applications for asylum. Otherwise emigrants would block the system for persons who flee from war," she said.