Representative of FRONTEX at Istanbul airport[/B] and at Turkish ports to check departures to the occupied territories, asked the European Commission to address Turkey's clear instrumentalization of the migration issue, Interior Minister Nikos Nouris said.
Briefing the Parliamentary Committee on Interior on Thursday, which discussed the policy of managing migration flows, the minister also said that the picture is not good at all in terms of arrivals.
While asylum seeker arrivals have been drastically reduced in terms of college arrivals, sham marriages and arrivals by sea, the situation with the Green Line is at a very bad level, he said. In the first quarter of 2022 alone, there were 4,793 arrivals, with 90% coming from the Green Line, he added.
"It is therefore immediately apparent that we are talking about a clear instrumentalization of the migration issue by Turkey," Nouris told MPs.
He said that the physiognomy of arrivals has changed radically, since, whereas previously Syrians were in first place, followed by Indians and Pakistanis, now the situation is clearly about Sub-Saharan African countries, and all of them, he added, are arriving via Istanbul airport, at Tympu in the occupied territories.
Nouris said that he was forced, because of this diversification of the image and physiognomy of the migratory situation, to send a document to the European Commission, along with 317 travel documents "to see clearly the route these people are taking".
He said all the passports were from Nigeria and Congo and related to arrivals from those countries at Istanbul airport and from there to Tymbou, where a 60-day residence permit appears to have been granted by the pseudo-state. He added that the owners of these passports, however, within 24 to 48 hours of their arrival in the occupied territories, were found by the authorities of the Republic on the Green Line.
The Minister said that he asked the European Commission that a concrete effort be made to support the country and that it was imperative that Turkey demand that a FRONTEX representative be placed at Istanbul airport to check flights to the occupied territories and those on board.
He also said that he demanded that Turkey should also demand the supervision of the two ports of Antalya and Mersin from which ships constantly depart for occupied Cyprus.
Regarding the current situation, he said that there are currently 3,045 residents in Pournara from Nigeria, Congo, Pakistan, Somalia, Cameroon, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and 260 Syrians.
He said that although they are also transferring people to the infrastructure in the Lakes, there is no improvement in the overcrowding problem as there are continuous arrivals.
Mr. Nouris also informed the Commission about the arrivals of Ukrainian refugees in Cyprus. He said that so far there are 14,950 Ukrainians in the Republic of Cyprus, of which 5,100 are permanent residents and the rest are arrivals since the beginning of hostilities. Only 2,700 have applied to the services of the Ministry of Interior for registration, but he expressed confidence that these numbers will increase. Nouris also said that the Government had set up a service for Ukrainian refugees to apply, and in a short time they are issued with a card, which is like their passport to the Republic of Cyprus for the next 12 months. With this card they will be able to secure accommodation, receive health care in the hospitals of the UNHCR, enrol their children in schools, and find employment.
In his statements after the session, in response to a question. Nouris said that he told the MPs that they have found that Syrians, who enjoy protection status in the Republic of Cyprus, go to Syria, either for medical purposes or to visit their relatives and then return to Cyprus.
"I have said that this particular phenomenon is under review, because Syrians who have the possibility of returning to their country are obviously not in danger, so these applications of these particular Syrians will be reviewed by the Ministry of Interior under this particular lens," he said. Nouris said he had the opportunity to brief the Commission on the situation of the migration issue and on the four agreements that the Republic of Cyprus has signed either with the European Commission itself or with its agencies, which are related to migration, on how to manage migration in Cyprus.
He also said that he gave a very detailed briefing on the results of the last Internal Affairs Council.
"I believe that through the briefing the MPs have a complete picture of the situation in the country and the objective difficulties we have regarding the increased problem of migratory flows, especially from the Green Line, which is now the feeding area for 90% of all migrants arriving in the Republic, and the issues of migration management," he said.
He also said that a huge effort is being made on returns and that 680 people have been returned to their countries this year, "which, as surprising as it is, is a large number and has been recognised by the EU with the difficulties that exist."
He added, however, that the arrivals are much higher and it creates a huge burden for the country which it is finding it difficult to manage either in terms of infrastructure or economics.
Commission President Aristos Damianou said after the meeting that there are issues of immediate management, planning and issues of perception, approach and philosophy. "Effective processing of applications is essential, for us it is essential to treat refugees and migrants humanely and not inhumanely," he said.
He also called for more effective engagement of the EU, which, he said, "should finally show the necessary solidarity with the first host states, such as the Republic of Cyprus, but also generally adopt policies that lead to a more equal treatment of migratory flows because obviously people are not a problem, but they are problems in their countries of origin and provenance that have led them to migration and refugeeism."
He said they would continue the discussion next week with state officials, as well as NGOs and the UNHCR. The aim of the Commission, he said, is, far from populism and extremism, to present the objective reality which will be shared with Cypriot citizens.
In a written statement, DISY MP Nikos Georgiou said that the dimensions of the issue are huge and the urgent management of dealing with it "makes it a national issue" and called for political and collective support of the government in this effort to address this issue, away from populism and petty politics.
He said the country is working at multiple levels on all political and operational fronts to mitigate this huge issue, both at the EU level and domestically. The problem, he added, is also swelling with the unavoidable migration flows of Ukrainian refugees due to the war "and our country is called upon to respond morally, institutionally and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are being tested in these difficult times."
He also said that not all political asylum seekers are refugees, but often come from safe countries and take advantage of the system, the distortions, so that they stay in Cyprus for several years."
"We have to understand our capabilities in terms of management, absorption and the dangers of the uncontrolled descent of migrants," he said.Georgiou said that the EU needs to address the problem holistically with respect for human rights and with a coherent, common management policy and a fair distribution of the burden of the migration problem among the member countries.
Alexandra Attalidou, MEP of the Ecologists-Civic Co-operation Movement, said that the migration issue is a complex problem, which must be dealt with effectively, but also with sensitivity.
Referring to the issue of minors, she said that some of these children have been in Pournara for seven months. "We feel that the state, above any financial issues should initiate with understanding over the issue of juveniles to create different structure, expeditious procedures to consider the applications of children," she said. He added that because the minister cited some children who refuse to undergo the test to verify their age, he said they believe that not all children should be victimized.
Sotiris Ioannou, ELAM MP, said that immigration is one of the biggest problems facing the country. "We call it Turkey's organized plan for Islamization of free areas," he added.
He said they have submitted their proposals as implemented in other European countries, such as covering the expenses of political asylum seekers through their own assets. "If these are implemented then Cyprus will stop being a Promised Land for some and Cypriot taxpayers will stop paying millions for their hospitality," he said. ELAM, he said, would continue to insist on the implementation of a strict immigration policy.
Source: CNA
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