I would like to welcome you to Cyprus and to the second meeting of the European Commission's High Level Network on Returns.
First of all, allow me to congratulate the European Commission, and in particular Commissioner Ilva Johansson, for setting up this important network and to warmly congratulate dear Marie on her appointment as the first coordinator. I believe that the Network will make a major contribution to the coordination of efforts between Member States and the relevant EU agencies for the effective, sustainable and safe return of third-country nationals to their countries of origin, which is a priority for the whole Union.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Migration challenges are upon us. Unfortunately, as Cyprus we are fighting an unequal daily battle with numbers and managing the ever-increasing arrivals of irregular migrants is extremely difficult
From January to October 2022, asylum applications have reached 18,345. In total, asylum seekers and beneficiaries of protection status have reached more than 6% of the population of the Republic of Cyprus.
Unfortunately the specificity of Cyprus with the occupation of 37% of our territory by Turkey and the existence of the Green Line which is not our external border makes us as a peculiar case among the Member States, the Green Line, which you will have the opportunity to visit tomorrow and you will see that despite the efforts and measures taken, it continues to be our Achilles' heel, but also the instrument used for the instrumentalization of migrants by Turkey, with their daily channeling from the occupied to the free areas. This is easy to see since 95% of irregular migrants cross the Green Line illegally.
These figures confirm our position on Turkey's instrumentalization of migration, but also our insistence on the necessity of stopping the flows by deterrent means on the ground.
These figures confirm our position on Turkey's instrumentalization of migration, but also our insistence on the necessity of stopping the flows by deterrent means on the ground.
Our second priority in the effort to relieve the country from the excessively increased flows is focused on a continuous effort to increase returns by own means, but also on the conclusion of agreements with both Member States and third countries, with an emphasis on the voluntary return programme with financial incentives.
Return rates compared to arrivals are unfortunately disproportionate.
Nevertheless, with a number of third countries we seem to have succeeded in overcoming bureaucratic procedures and difficulties of coordination and cooperation by implementing the return of a significant number of migrants.
In 2022, we created the Return Office, an innovative initiative of the Ministry of Interior, which coordinates the relevant state agencies such as the Department of Population and Migration Records of the Ministry of Interior, the Aliens and Migration Service of the Police and the Asylum Service, as well as with the European agencies Frontex and Europol. It is the point of contact for return issues with the EU itself, as well as with third countries.
As a result of this coordinated action, Cyprus currently ranks first in the number of returns among Member States in terms of population. Within 2022, almost 7000 have already been returned, resulting in this year's returns accounting for 40% of arrivals, as opposed to 17% last year. A performance that clearly satisfies us. We have also succeeded in sharply increasing assisted voluntary returns compared to forced returns, with the percentage for this year reaching 87%. And I am confident that Cyprus' participation in the European Commission's Returns Network will further contribute to strengthening these efforts.
These returns have been made possible thanks to our tremendous efforts to conclude agreements and memoranda of understanding for the first time with countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, and an agreement with Congo is in its final stages. In this effort we have the great support and assistance of the FRONTEX agency and the European Commission itself, to whom I would like to express my sincere thanks.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am sure that the Return Network, which is yet another initiative and proof of the European Commission's will to support and assist the Member States in this area, will make a decisive contribution to ensuring that the return process is not a negligible proportion of arrivals but an important factor in discouraging illegal arrivals of migrants and traffickers.
As Commissioner Ilva Johansson said at the first meeting of the network, "our failure to control returns undermines the legitimacy of our asylum system". And I fully agree with this.
It is for this reason that we insist on our position on the need to manage returns and readmission in a centralised manner, under the operational coordination of the Commission. It is our conviction that this network is the first important step in this direction.
With this, allow me to conclude my intervention. I welcome you to this space and thank you all for your participation. I wish you a pleasant stay on our beautiful island.
I am sure that the work of this session will help to realise our common goal of more efficient return processes.
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EFYs
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