The Minister of Interior Mr. Nikos Nouris after the end of the national commemoration of the hero of EOKA Stylianos Lena in Chandria, made statements to journalists regarding the Ukrainian and migration issues.
Asked by a journalist about the letters sent to the European Union for the umpteenth time asking for its assistance in dealing with the migration issue and whether there is any progress, the Minister replied that he has sent something completely different from previous times.
" We have sent a letter supported by concrete evidence. In particular it is the travel documents of 317 migrants, which clearly show the route and the instrumentalization that these people are receiving on the part of Turkey," he said. He added that "it clearly shows that they come from sub-Saharan Africa and through Istanbul with the stamps of the airports, the arrival at the occupied Tybos airport, the granting of a 60-day visa and of course then the crossing of the green line to the Republic-controlled areas," he said.
"I had the opportunity to discuss the issue last Thursday in a teleconference with the Vice President of the European Commission," he said.
Tomorrow, immediately after the EU Home Affairs Ministers' meeting in Brussels, which he will attend, he will have a meeting with EU officials "to discuss this issue, but also Cyprus' additional request for funding for the upgrade of the 'Pournara' Centre to the tune of €20 million," he said. to enable us to cope with the huge burden we are facing today". He informed that "the Pournara Centre has already exceeded 3,000 people and of course it is completely impossible with the infrastructure we have to accommodate these numbers".
He mentioned that in Brussels "in addition to the discussion on the Ukrainian issue, in addition to the fact that each of the countries will assess our capabilities on the issue of accommodating Ukrainian refugees, it will be of special importance for us since we will also discuss our own particular problem with the crossings from the occupied territories".
Asked whether there are indications that Cyprus' requests to the EU are viewed positively, the Minister said that he believes that after the visit of EU Vice President Margaritis Schinas, Commissioner Ilva Johansson and Ms Beate Gminder of the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs to Cyprus, "there is clearly a favourable mood towards the satisfaction of our country's requests".
She noted that Cyprus' problem is not only economic. It is a problem that must be tackled drastically, he said, adding that there must be a limitation of daily crossings, which exceed 100 every night, but also a multiplication of returns.
Referring to the returns, he informed that they have reached 680 so far for 2022 "but this is far from the 5000 arrivals in the first quarter of this year".
In response to a reporter's question regarding the thoughts on limiting crossings from the Green Line and whether there will be an extension of the barbed wire measure, the Minister expressed the view that this issue should not be discussed all the time.
The decision has been made, he said, noting that the laying of the second phase of placing physical barriers has begun.
"We will continue to place physical barriers in as many places as is deemed necessary to impede these crossings," he said."
He concluded. Nouris that he is awaiting the installation of the surveillance system which, he said, will begin to be installed from next August.
He added that "there is an additional willingness to put together a body to be able to monitor the ceasefire line."
There are no secret prescriptions, he maintained, saying that the government must and will take all those measures. It is for this reason, he explained, "that we spent all the previous period and I assure you that a huge effort was made to convince at the political and diplomatic level the EU member countries that despite the fact that the Green Line is not our external border, it is nevertheless necessary to put in place to manage it all those barriers and technologies that are placed at the external borders of Europe to limit these crossings."
Next, asked how the management of refugees from Ukraine is progressing, he informed that the number of Ukrainian refugees including those who have arrived in Cyprus before the start of the Russian invasion is around 10,000.
Arrivals are around 180- 200 per day, he said. "We hope that the hostilities will end soon, because this huge load is not the easiest to manage," he stressed.
Decisions have been taken,he said, adding that as of Friday, 1,273 people had applied for temporary protection. "The Republic and the Ministry of Tourism has secured 3000 beds by the end of April to accommodate these people," he said.
Tomorrow, he added, he expects announcements and a briefing at leadership level from the EU "on the support and assistance we will get from member states to be able to manage these numbers."
We will do everything humanly possible, he said.
"We have started issuing the cards which will essentially be the 'passport' of Ukrainians in our country for the next 12 months and through which they will enjoy all the benefits that a Community or Cypriot can get in terms of health care, employment and education," he said.
Finally, to another question, the Minister concluded by saying that "Cyprus being a country that has experienced occupation and refugeeism knows very well that there is no choice but to declare our readiness to help and I want to hope that we will be able to manage and help these people to the best possible extent."
(EFYs)
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