There are significant improvements in some issues in the US State Department's report on Human Rights in Cyprus in 2021, compared to previous reports, Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos told the Cyprus News Agency.
At the same time, he said that "what is highlighted in the report is a useful source of reflection and improvement" and that "as a democratic state, Cyprus is always open to studying recommendations for improving the human rights situation".
Asked by Cypriots to comment on the State Department's report, Pelecanos noted that "some of the headlines we read give the impression that this report is considered negative for Cyprus", he said that compared to previous reports, significant improvements were recorded on some issues.
For example, the efforts of several departments of the Republic of Cyprus such as the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and the Prisons are acknowledged, he said.
He added that "it is a fact that observations are recorded towards the Republic of Cyprus regarding the management of refugee flows", to point out that "the EU itself acknowledges the pressure that the Republic of Cyprus is under from the increased and ongoing migratory flows".
He also recalled that the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades, "has convened a number of meetings recently, during which decisions were taken to address the problems arising from the emergency situation caused by the increased migratory flows".
Regarding what has been recorded about corruption, Pelecanos said that "the well-known facts revealed by Al Jazeera are repeated, noting that measures were taken, investigations were carried out and criminal cases were registered against legal and natural persons. It is therefore correct to read the report in its entirety and not just the headlines or fragments," he noted.
He also pointed out that "it is acknowledged that the Republic of Cyprus has taken concrete measures to identify, investigate, prosecute and punish officials whose actions have led to the offences of corruption and human rights violations."
He recalled that the recent EPPO (European Public Prosecutor's Office) annual report for 2021 also found that the European Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating only 3 cases involving fraud/corruption offences affecting EU financial interests, which means that only two EU countries have a smaller number of cases under investigation than Cyprus.
"What is highlighted in the report is a useful source of reflection and improvement. As a democratic state, Cyprus is always open to studying recommendations for improving the human rights situation," the Spokesman added.
Pelecanos noted that the State Department report "is a 71-page report, which should not be read in fragments."
He also noted that the US reports concern all states worldwide and are issued annually.
"To compile these reports, US embassies on the ground collect information from non-governmental organizations, media, independent institutions, relevant agencies, as well as reports from the UN, the Council of Europe and so on," he continued.
It should be noted to get a better picture, he added, that this is not the only report prepared by the US, on the contrary, specialized reports on Trafficking in Persons and reports on Protection of Religion and Belief are also released for all states.
Source: Cyprus Times
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