The Minister of Interior Mr. Nikos Nouris, after the annual national memorial service of the hero Dimitrakis Papamiliades, at Agia Marina Xyliatou, made the following statements to journalists:
"Today, on the day of Orthodoxy, we honoured the hero Dimitrakis Papamiliades, a man who gave his life for his country.
The sacrifice of Dimitrakis Papamiliadis sends a clear message: that the freedom of our homeland needs sacrifices.
At this moment, with the problems we are facing, we want to hope that the different ways of managing the national problem, i.e. through diplomatic channels, will not require additional sacrifices, but will certainly require brave efforts in order to be able to break the deadlock on the Cyprus problem.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, the whole of humanity is shocked by what is happening on the Russia-Ukraine front.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, the whole of humanity is watching what is happening on the Russia-Ukraine front. The Government and the Cypriot people are standing by to help in whatever effort we can give, especially in the humanitarian field to the Ukrainian people.
We have already received in Cyprus more than 2,500 Ukrainians, to whom we are providing as many facilities as we can. I reiterate that it is our will, in addition to adopting the EU decisions, to assist in any way we can the suffering Ukrainian people.
After all, Cyprus knows about refugees, it knows about the needs created by war. It is for this reason that we condemn the Russian invasion and of course we stand by the Ukrainian people.
With regard to the events that have been discussed in recent days concerning the "Purnara" First Reception Centre, and in particular the issue of minors, I would like to state categorically once again that, despite the huge number of people gathered in "Purnara", which is far beyond the capacity of the Centre, all 356 registered minors have never been left out of accommodation with heating and air conditioning.
All remain exactly and reside in specific such lodgings. Nevertheless, in recognition of the large number we receive at the Centre, and despite the fact that appropriate feeding is provided, as per the relevant standards and all that must be provided to them, at the initiative and instruction of the Minister of Interior, 90 of the minors have been moved to a hotel unit in Larnaca, which is rented by the Ministry of Interior, in an effort to discharge the Centre.
It is also on my instruction that the integration process has begun for those who have not yet completed the processes, so as to enable, in the next few days, their eventual temporary relocation, despite the fact that the issue of moving them out of "Pournara" is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior.
Nevertheless, in cooperation with the Social Welfare Services, we want to assist in this effort, so that we can also relieve the Centre and provide the best possible conditions".
Asked by a journalist about Turkey's role in the Ukrainian issue and what it is trying to gain, the Minister replied that Turkey with its "pontiopolitan" attitude is trying, while maintaining a neutrality, to gain benefits from both sides, both economically and politically.
He noted that a country such as "Turkey that systematically violates human rights, first with the crime it has committed against our country and with the ongoing instrumentalization of the migration issue" is the last country that would be expected to assume a mediating role.
"Nevertheless, in diplomacy everything is allowed", the Minister stressed. "Turkey is proving for the umpteenth time that it is relatively flexible at the diplomatic level and, yes, what is happening today is an oxymoron for us," he added.
A country that is a member of both NATO and other international organizations and that systematically violates human rights and instrumentalizes migrants is asking and trying to intervene as a mediator in the Ukraine-Russia crisis, he concluded.
(EFYs)
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