The crossing surveillance system on the green line is expected to start being installed from next August, Interior Minister Nikos Nouris said on Sunday, referring to the intention to set up a special body to monitor the ceasefire line.
Regarding the impact of the Ukrainian, he said that the number of Ukrainian refugees in Cyprus amounts to 10,000, while arrivals range from 180-200 per day.
The migrant problem
in Cyprus is not only an economic one, but an issue that must be tackled drastically in order to limit the daily crossings of more than a hundred every night, he said in remarks in the Limassol village of Chandria. He also said that in addition to transits, there is an increase in returns, as "we have reached 680 so far for 2022," noting however that this is "a far cry from the 5000 arrivals in the first quarter of this year."
Asked about the letters he has sent to the European Union for its assistance in dealing with migration and whether there is any progress, the Minister said he has sent a letter "supported by concrete evidence".
In particular, he continued, "they are thetravel documents of 317 migrants, which clearly show the route and instrumentalisation that these people are receiving on the part of Turkey, since it clearly shows that they come from sub-Saharan Africa and via Istanbul with the stamps of the airports, the arrival at the occupied airport of Tymbou, the granting of a 60-day visa and, of course, the crossing of the Green Line in the Republic-controlled areas.
He said that on Monday, after the EU Home Affairs Ministers' meeting in Brussels, he would raise the issue, as well as Cyprus' additional request for funding to upgrade the Pournara Centre to the tune of €20 million "so that we can cope with the huge burden we face today. Pournara has already exceeded 3,000 people and of course it is completely impossible with the infrastructure we have to accommodate these numbers".
Asked whether there are indications that our requests to the EU are being viewed positively, the minister said he believes that after the visit of Vice President Schinas, Commissioner Johansson and the Deputy Director General of the EU's DG Migration and Home Affairs, Beate Gminder, "there is clearly a favourable mood towards the satisfaction of our country's requests."
Asked about the thoughts on restricting crossings from the Green Line and whether there will be an extension of the barbed wire measure, she expressed the view that this issue should not be discussed all the time. The decision has been made, he said, adding that the laying of the second phase of placing physical barriers has begun.
"We will continue to place physical barriers in those areas deemed necessary to impede these crossings," he noted.
He added that theplacement of the surveillance system is pending, which he said would begin to be put in place by next August. He further said "there is an additional willingness on our part to put together a special force to be able to monitor the ceasefire line."
There are no secret recipes, he continued. Nouris, saying that the government has to take all measures, while it has spent all the previous period in an effort to convince on a political and diplomatic level the EU member states that "despite the fact that the Green Line is not our external border", it is nevertheless necessary to place "all those barriers and technologies that are placed at the external borders of Europe to limit these crossings".
Asked about the management of refugees from Ukraine, he said the number of Ukrainian refugees, including those who have arrived in Cyprus before the start of the Russian invasion is around 10,000, while arrivals are around 180-200 per day.
"We hope that the hostilities will end soon" because this huge burden is not easy to manage, he said. He said decisions had been taken and informed that as of Friday, 1,273 people had applied for temporary protection. The republic and the Ministry of Tourism have secured 3,000 beds by the end of April to accommodate these people, he said.
Nouris said that on Monday, announcements and a briefing at the leadership level from the EU on the assistance that member states will receive to be able to manage these numbers are expected.
He said that Cyprus, being a country that has experienced occupation and refugeeism, will support the refugees as much as it can.
He said that Cyprus, being a country that has experienced occupation and refugeeism, will support the refugees as much as it can. "We have started issuing the cards" which he said will be the 'passport' of Ukrainians to our country for the next 12 months, through which they will enjoy all the benefits a community or a Cypriot can get in terms of health care, employment and education.
Source: CNA
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