May Asylum Applications in Slovakia

In May 2024, a total of 76,795 citizens from third countries applied for international protection for the first time across 26 EU member states, marking a five percent decrease from the previous year’s figure of 80,455, according to Eurostat. Notably, Poland was excluded from this data due to a lack of reported figures. In Slovakia, ten individuals sought asylum for the first time, contributing to a total of 15 applications in the country. The report highlighted a contrasting trend in repeat asylum applications, which rose by 12 percent to 6,465 in May 2024, up from 5,755 in May 2023. The primary nationalities of first-time applicants included Syrians, Venezuelans, and Afghans, with Syrians leading the group at 11,460 applicants. Germany emerged as the top destination for first-time asylum seekers, receiving 18,175 applications, which accounted for 24 percent of the EU total. When considering the population size of each EU country, Ireland, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus reported the highest rates of first-time asylum applicants per 100,000 inhabitants. Specifically, Ireland recorded 37.4 applicants per 100,000, while Greece followed with 33.2. Additionally, the report noted that 2,565 unaccompanied minor refugees applied for asylum in May 2024, predominantly from Syria and Afghanistan. Germany again led in this category, receiving 1,010 applications from unaccompanied minors, followed by the Netherlands with 360.