Four months after assuming office, Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Stocker made his first official trip abroad — to Berlin — where he was hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Speaking at a joint press conference, Stocker praised the “excellent friendship” between Austria and Germany and said he had found in Merz “a partner who views things similarly,” particularly regarding asylum and migration policy.
“Germany and Austria are moving in the same direction,” Stocker noted, referencing a meeting of “like-minded states” that Merz attended shortly before the upcoming EU summit in Brussels. “It’s a clear indication that we are on the right track at the European level as well,” he added.
Stocker expressed support for Germany’s recent measures to tighten its migration policy, including turning away asylum seekers at the German-Austrian border. When asked whether such actions could negatively affect relations between the two countries, both chancellors dismissed the concern. “Austria, more than most, knows what migration pressure feels like — as we saw in 2015 and again in 2022,” Stocker said. He emphasized that Austria has maintained border controls since 2015, not as a form of internal isolation, but as a necessary safeguard. 
He also stated that the situation at the shared border is currently stable and manageable.
Stocker highlighted the strong cooperation between Austria and Germany across multiple areas, particularly between their interior ministries and police forces.
In addition to migration, the two leaders discussed pressing international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. Economic stability was another major topic. Stocker defended Austria’s strict austerity policies and warned of the ongoing risk of a financial crisis. “We don’t know when the next crisis will strike, but we have to be ready,” he said, emphasizing the importance of joint European preparedness.
Chancellor Stocker was welcomed in Berlin with full military honors. The visit included a private one-on-one meeting with Chancellor Merz and a press conference. Despite being Stocker’s first official foreign trip, the two leaders have already met several times, including the previous day at the EU summit in Brussels.
Official report by the Berlin press conference media — Berliner Telegraph.
Special coverage from Munich by Anna Stukkert and Aleksandr Boyko.
