OHCHR 'Always Welcome' To Check Migrants' Human Rights In Austria - FPO Party

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2018) The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), the junior partner of Austria's ruling coalition with an anti-immigration stance, welcomes any cooperation with UN human rights boss Michelle Bachelet's team that was sent to Austria to look into protection of migrants, the party's foreign policy spokesman, Roman Haider, told Sputnik on Monday.

Bachelet announced on Monday that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) would send teams to Austria and Italy in order to assess the situation with migrants and their rights and expressed concern over an "alarming escalation of attacks" against migrants and Roma people.

"Cooperation in any fields is always good. She is always welcome to convince herself that everything is OK in Austria," Haider said.

The spokesman, however, noted that any accusations against his country with regard to protection of migrants were groundless.

"I strictly reject such accusations. Austria treats everybody good and correctly," the spokesman said, recommending Bachelet to concentrate on her "work on protecting Europe from overwhelming problems caused by unrestricted migration."

Both Austrian and Italian authorities have tough stances on migration. Over recent months, Italy has denied several rescue ships carrying illegal migrants access to its ports, while Austria refused accept illegal migrants from a ship that made port in Sicily in July. In addition, the Austrian government unveiled in May its plans to decrease benefits for migrants and refugees who do not speak German in order to curb their inflow, in line with promises made during the election campaign.