VIENNA: Official statistics indicate a substantial reduction in asylum applications in Austria since the start of 2024, with a 57 percent decrease noted compared to the previous year. According to Emirates News Agency, the Asylum and Migration Authority reported receiving 18,816 asylum applications in the first three quarters of 2024. This figure represents a decrease of 25,000 applications, or 57 percent, compared to the same period in 2023. The authority highlighted that Austria's reduction in asylum applications is notably more pronounced than in other European countries, where declines averaged only 8 percent. September saw the most significant drop, with applications decreasing by 78 percent, marking the steepest decline recorded this year.