VIENNA — Austria is preparing to close its final arrival center for people displaced by the war in Ukraine, ending a central point of first assistance in Vienna amid a growing dispute between federal authorities and the city government over responsibility for new arrivals, according to ORF News.
Beginning January 8, the Ukraine arrival center located at Schlossberg in Vienna’s Hietzing district will stop accepting newly arrived refugees. The facility, operated by the humanitarian organization Volkshilfe Wien, currently houses more than 160 Ukrainian war-displaced people, down from over 180 just before Christmas. All remaining residents are expected to be gradually relocated to other accommodation within Austria’s basic welfare system.
The center has served as the country’s last dedicated first-stop facility for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion, providing food, temporary shelter, and assistance with registration and official paperwork until longer-term placements could be arranged.
Silvia Zechmeister, head of the Hietzing center, sought to reassure the public that the closure would not leave people stranded. “No one will be sent out into the cold or onto the street,” she said, emphasizing that emergency cases will still be accepted and that efforts will continue to place displaced Ukrainians in basic care facilities across Austria’s federal states.
Despite a slowdown since the early stages of the war, between 40 and 80 Ukrainians are still arriving in Vienna each week, according to officials.
The Federal Agency for Care and Support Services (BBU) argues that responsibility for initial reception lies primarily with Austria’s provinces. BBU chief executive Andreas Achrainer said alternative arrangements—such as hotlines and coordination with NGOs and social service providers—could replace a centralized arrival center, provided there is sufficient political will at the regional level.
Vienna’s city government strongly disagrees. Social Affairs Councillor Peter Hacker (SPÖ) said coordination is a federal duty and noted that the BBU itself owns facilities that are currently unused, including one in Vienna. Hacker said the city would support reopening a federal center but has not been informed of any confirmed plans.
The closure underscores mounting strains within Austria’s asylum system as responsibilities between federal and local authorities remain unresolved, even as the war in Ukraine continues to force thousands to seek refuge across Europe.
