[PIO] Statements by the Government Spokesperson

The Cyprus problem, the migration issue, the police operations in Chloraka and the government's policies to tackle inflation were among the issues mentioned today by Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letibiotis.

In his statements to reporters at the Presidential Palace, the Spokesman, when asked about the issue of Chloraka and the Syrian man who had tested positive in a drug test, said that the person in question is already facing justice.

He added that, yesterday, in Chloraka, the presence of the Police "was very strong and intense and we will do everything possible to ensure public safety. In this context, the Council of Ministers was briefed today by the Minister of Interior on the update of the data and progress in the implementation of the plans to address the migration issue taken so far.

Due to the doubling of examiners, asylum examinations have been accelerated and compared to last year, when 1000 applications per month were examined, today 1800 per month are being examined, the number of returns through the special court for short examination of applications has almost doubled.

It is for the first time in the history of our country's migration history that numbers of more irregular migrants leaving our country are recorded, compared to those who enter the Republic of Cyprus illegally. This is something that is confirmed by the figures for the last four months.

Specific measures have already been taken to reduce arrivals, an information campaign has been carried out in third countries, in Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, arrivals have been reduced by 55% in the last four months, compared to the same period last year, and asylum applications in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, have been significantly reduced to 53%.

In the same context, infrastructure is being strengthened and upgraded. Work on the Pournara reception centre, at a cost of €25 million, will be completed by October. With their completion, problems will be solved and conditions will be improved."

He added that the hospitality centre in Kofinou has already been completed and a contract has been signed for the creation of a reception centre in Lakes which will operate as a pre-removal centre, at a cost of 80 million euros, which will be completed in two years and will have a capacity of 1,000 people.

Until the establishment of the centre in the Lakes, solutions are being sought to meet these needs, the Spokesman said.

Referring to another aspect of irregular migration, the Spokesman said that "with regard to the fight against undeclared work, the joint meeting of the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Labour last week on an intensive campaign of inspections in specific sectors to combat it is also relevant." The campaign, he said, started last Monday and noted that 225 inspections have been carried out between May and July.

He also pointed out that intensive efforts are being made to crack down on trafficking networks, noting recent arrests.

"The Government's primary concern is to ensure public safety, the implementation of the decisions of the Council of Ministers and the relevant decrees, especially in Chloraka," he said, adding that this building complex will be evacuated and sealed in accordance with the decrees.

It is, he said, the non-negotiable and institutional obligation of the State to enforce the law and ensure the public safety of citizens.

When asked, the Spokesman said that "all operational plans are constantly being evaluated and where we see that there are weaknesses, responsibilities will be assigned."

In response to another question, he said that for those who are in the Republic of Cyprus illegally the relevant procedures will be followed, those who are asylum seekers have been transferred to Kofinou where they have been given the right of voluntary departure, and those who belong to vulnerable groups or are families with young children have been taken over by the Ministry of State for Social Welfare to find them alternative accommodation.

Those legally residing in the Republic of Cyprus have been given a two-week period to be able to find alternative accommodation, he added.

Asked about the EuroAsia Interconnector issue, the Spokesperson said that what will determine the Republic of Cyprus' decision to engage in the EuroAsia Interconnector project is the evaluation house study, noting that the commissioning of the study will be completed next week.

Asked about the increases in the prices of fuel and therefore electricity, the Spokesman said that "the Government has already taken additional measures to support households, such as the zero VAT rate on some products and the reduced rate on other products", while he noted that the Ministry of Finance is studying whether the list of products can be expanded, always on the basis of the financial possibilities of the state.

He added that inflation in this period is much lower than it was in the same period last year.

"The government's aim is to push those measures that will be permanent, such as the penetration of renewable energy sources in households," he said.

Asked about the issue of taxation of banks' profits, the Spokesman referred to statements by the Minister of Finance in this regard and said that a meeting between the Minister of Finance and the Association of Banks was pending.

Asked to refer to the visit of UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, the Spokesman said that "the visit in itself sends a strong message. That the attention of Secretary General Guterres remains focused on the effort to resume negotiations. It was a visit that was determined both after the President's telephone conversation with the UN Secretary General and after the Foreign Minister's private meeting with Mr. Guterres.

What we note is that the United Nations recognizes the readiness of our side, the readiness of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, but also the constructive attitude that he has demonstrated from the first moment he took office - he has taken initiatives, he has put forward concrete proposals and he has reiterated once again our readiness to resume negotiations from where they have stopped.

At the same time, we note with satisfaction, and this is what Mr. Jenča reiterated, the unanimous statement of the Security Council, in which, in addition to its commitment to the agreed framework on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, they also note the necessity, the high added value of the appointment of an envoy on the part of the Secretary-General, a position that we have been reiterating for months.

So, we believe that it is precisely in this context that we will continue to make those efforts to resume negotiations as soon as possible. Following the positions of the international community in recent days, we think it is obvious that our own sincere concern, our own sincere will for a viable, final, just solution to the Cyprus problem is being recognized."

Finally, when asked, the Spokesman said that "the President of the Republic will go to New York for the United Nations General Assembly and there we assess and await any developments".

(RM/NG/SX)
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