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"We will deal with the migration issue", President of the Republic Nicos Christodoulides said today, stressing that he says this knowing the meaning of every word he mentions.
Speaking to reporters in Vavla, after the memorial service of the hero Michalakis Paridis, the President of the Republic was asked to refer to last night's incidents in Limassol: "there is not much that can be said beyond the shameful images we saw. And they have nothing to do with dealing with the issue of migration.
If all those involved (in the incidents) loved or cared about our country, they would not have taken such actions which above all insult our country.
So, we have to separate the two issues. Dealing with Migration is something else and there are concrete results in these six months, such as the reduction in the number of those who come, more returns of those who arrive in our country, processing more applications (asylum) of 80% and, yes, we have a concrete plan and planning and I can state today, knowing the importance of each word I mention, we will deal with Migration. So, what we saw last night has nothing to do with Immigration and we should not confuse the two issues.
This is a matter of public policy. At 11 o'clock this morning I have called a meeting with all those involved, in the presence of the Legal Service of the Republic, precisely to discuss what happened yesterday. We have to be particularly careful when speaking in public and I want to repeat it has nothing whatsoever to do with dealing with the migration issue."
Asked about the management of the incidents by the police, the President of the Republic said: "the Chief of Police, as well as those responsible for yesterday's operation, who I myself had spoken to before to make sure that there was planning, will be at the meeting today, precisely to inform me specifically what has been done."
Asked if the Government will support those whose property has been damaged in yesterday's incidents, President Christodoulides said: "the Government will stand by, but at the same time, and one reason why the Legal Service has been invited, is to see if there is a provision in the law for those who are convicted, especially in criminal prosecutions, those who are responsible and have been arrested, if and when it is of course proven that they are responsible, they will have to bear the financial cost of their actions."
Asked further, he said: "I want to express my satisfaction with yesterday's discussion in the National Council, I feel clearly strengthened in the effort to break the deadlock and resume the talks."
Asked about his meeting tomorrow with the Prime Minister of Israel, the President said: "I want to express my pleasure to welcome tomorrow the Prime Minister of Israel and later the Greek Prime Minister, both for bilateral consultations and for the Trilateral Meeting, the first since the election and re-election of all three of us. We will discuss very specific issues and there will be announcements in this regard."
Elsewhere in his remarks, the President said: "I want to express my satisfaction with last night's announcement in relation to the credibility of the Cypriot economy. We will continue to walk on the path of responsibility, away from populism, away from approaches that may sound nice in the ears of some, but at the same time put our country at risk.
In a few days, the Government will submit its first budget to Parliament, a budget which will be surplus, a budget which, as is the general philosophy of our governance, will have people at its centre."
Asked whether he is concerned about the fact that Turkey does not accept any EU involvement in the Cyprus problem, the President of the Republic said: "whether Turkey accepts it or not, the EU is involved in the Cyprus problem, whether some people like it or not. So, you cannot change something that is a fact."
(PM/MB)
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