During yesterday's proceedings of the Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the member of the Cypriot delegation to the Assembly, MP George Loucaides, participated in a debate on the compatibility of the new European Union (EU) Pact on Immigration and Asylum with the European framework for the protection of human rights.
Loucaides criticized actions aimed at the militarization of the external borders and the enclosure of the Union, noting that the denial of asylum and the illegal return of migrants and refugees are contrary to international law.
The demonisation of migrants and their instrumentalisation for political purposes, Mr Loukaidis stressed, poses serious risks to democracy and damages social cohesion. Instead of aiming at stopping the migratory flows, he stressed, we should consider the causes that cause them and provide, on the basis of solidarity, all possible assistance to these people, who are multiply vulnerable and exposed and who are deprived of basic human rights.
The establishment of mechanisms to monitor and supervise Member States' compliance with their contractual obligations regarding the dignified treatment of refugees and migrants is very important.
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