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Today, on World Refugee Day, we honour the strength and courage of millions of people forced to flee their homeland to escape conflict or persecution. The day was first established on 20 June 2001, marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
The theme of World Refugee Day 2024, which is entitled "For a world where Refugees are welcomed", seeks to offer solidarity to refugees.
In the broader effort to protect the rights of refugees, the Office of the Law Commissioner carries out a number of actions.
The new legislation aims at adopting a clear legal framework, upgrading the administrative, judicial and more generally practical procedures concerning beneficiaries of international protection. Our concern in this project is to ensure that the rights of beneficiaries of international protection, as they derive from EU and international law, are effectively safeguarded, while at the same time ensuring the public interest of the Republic. It should be noted that this action is part of the broader framework of the Government's actions to manage the migration issue.
In addition, the Office of the Commissioner for Legislation is responsible for the preparation of National Reports, which the Republic is obliged to submit in accordance with the ratified Human Rights Conventions within the framework of the United Nations and the Council of Europe. A concomitant responsibility of the Office is the presentation and support of these reports/positions of the Republic during the hearings before the competent United Nations treaty bodies.
In this regard, it is stated that the Office of the Commissioner for Legislation will represent the Republic in the upcoming hearing to be held in Geneva in September 2024 before the 76th Session of the Finance Committee, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), under Articles 16 and 17 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which will deal to a significant extent with issues related to the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.
In addition, the Office of the Commissioner for Legal Affairs regularly participates in training seminars on immigration and asylum law, such as, for example, the Training of Lawyers on EU Immigration and Asylum Law (TRALIM) and the Training of Lawyers on European Law relating to vulnerable groups of migrants (TRALVU).
A working visit to the Office of the Commissioner for Legal Affairs was recently carried out by delegations of bar associations from Member States of the European Union in the framework of the "Training of Lawyers on EU Immigration and Asylum Law 3 (TRALIM 3)" programme. During this meeting, the Law Commissioner Mrs Louisa Christodoulides Zannetou made a presentation entitled "The Work of the Law Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in the field of Asylum". This presentation expanded on the role played by the Office of the Law Commissioner in the development of the Law of the Republic of Asylum, as well as on the duties of the Office of the Law Commissioner with regard to the preparation, presentation and support of National Reports, which the Republic is obliged to submit in accordance with the ratified Human Rights Conventions within the framework of the United Nations and the Council of Europe.
It should be noted that the Office of the Commissioner for Legislation closely follows the developments concerning asylum law, both in the Republic of Cyprus and at European level, which undoubtedly affect the legislative framework concerning applicants and beneficiaries of international protection.
The creation of the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection was an important development for the Republic of Cyprus, which will play a catalytic role in the effective and orderly management of migrants' rights. At the same time, it is expected to ensure the granting of international protection to its legitimate beneficiaries, taking into account the international and European obligations of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the respect of human rights.
At the same time, the adoption by the European Union of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is expected to be implemented in mid-2026, is a milestone for the upgrading of the legislative framework regarding applicants and beneficiaries of international protection.
At the same time, the adoption by the European Union of the Pact on Migration and Asylum is a milestone for the upgrading of the legislative framework regarding applicants and beneficiaries of international protection. Among other things, the Pact on Migration and Asylum aims to "strengthen and integrate key EU policies on migration, asylum, border management and integration" by introducing "the necessary safeguards for the protection of persons in need."
Finally, remaining committed to the responsibilities of the Legislative Commissioner's Office, we are working towards the successful completion of the aforementioned human rights actions looking forward to taking further actions to review the law.
(EAT/EP)
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