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At a meeting of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons of the CSCE, Ms. Erotokritou spoke about the migration issue in Cyprus, noting that Cyprus, as a semi-inhabited and small country with limited resources at its disposal, faces the biggest migration problem among the Member States of the European Union (EU). Ms Erotokritou informed the Commission members that approximately 5% of the population of Cyprus consists of asylum seekers or persons with international protection status and referred to the systematic channelling of a large number of irregular migrants from Turkey through the occupied territories to the areas under the control of the Republic of Cyprus. He also noted the arrival of large numbers of migrants by sea, mostly from Lebanon. He also stressed that, as a consequence of the 1974 Turkish invasion and the continued occupation of part of its territory, Cyprus is well aware of what refugee and displacement means. She also underlined the positive steps taken for a better management of the migration issue by the Republic of Cyprus, through enhanced cooperation with the European Commission and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and stressed the importance of the continuation and strengthening of the support of the Republic of Cyprus by the European institutions. Erotokritou argued that EU financial aid to Lebanon should be increased proportionally, as in the case of Turkey, in order to better manage the increased flows to the country.
Finally, referring to the illegal migrant trafficking networks, Erotokritou stressed that the EU is not focusing enough on the fight against organised crime that trades human lives, which is necessary to reduce migratory flows. At the same time, he pointed out that the EU must take deterrent measures and take action to address holistically the crime of trafficking in human beings that is actually taking place and to fight cross-border organised crime in this area.
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