Even after more than two years since its reckoning, the European migrant crisis continues to rage like a fire that can’t just be put out and in the latest twist, Austria, a member of the European Union has declared that it cannot (or do not want to) accept any more refugees under the European refugee scheme which states that the member states need to share the burden of incoming refugees. The deal has already been struggling for more than a year in its implementation. Under this plan, which was adopted in September 2015, at the height of the migrant crisis, refugees who arrived in the European Union via Greece and Italy have to be relocated and resettled across the European Union.

In 2015, Austria accepted about 90,000 refugees and called for an exemption. A temporary exemption was granted but that now remains expired. Now, Brussels have asked Austria to abide by the legal agreement.

The intake of refugees, who are predominantly Muslim in their faith and comes from war torn regions in the Middle East and North Africa have led to cultural integration problems in Austria and has given to the rise of the far right freedom party. Norbert Hoffer, the leader of the Austrian freedom party almost won the 2016 Presidential election. The current administration wants to cut down the support for Mr. Hoffer with a tougher stance on the influx of refugees.