Interior Minister Nikos Nouris, after today's session of the Interior Committee of the Parliament, made statements to journalists.
After describing the session of the Parliament as constructive, he said that he had the opportunity to inform the MPs about the situation of the migration issue, but also about the four agreements and memoranda that the Republic of Cyprus has signed, either with the European Commission itself or with various bodies of the European Commission on how to manage the migration issue.
He noted that he also briefed on the results of the last EU Internal Affairs Summit he attended last Monday, with particular reference to Ukraine, but also on the issue facing Cyprus.
He said that through the briefing that took place, and by answering the various questions, he believes that the MPs now have a complete picture "of both the situation in our country and the objective difficulties we have regarding the increased problem of migratory flows, especially from the Green Line."
He informed the Minister that the Green Line is now the feeding point for 90% of all migrants arriving in the Republic of Cyprus.
The Minister informed that the Green Line is now the feeding point for 90% of all migrants arriving in the Republic of Cyprus.
The Minister informed that the Green Line is now the feeding point for 90% of all migrants arriving in the Republic of Cyprus. He further informed the MPs "and about the specific methodology followed by the Government in terms of migration management issues, whether it concerns the issue of restricting the flows from the Green Line, or the issue of managing the migrant population remaining in our country, or of course the huge capital of returns." Referring to the returns, he said that a huge effort is being made to maximize them "so that we can unload the country."
He said he also responded to individual issues and questions "that are being managed by the Ministry of Interior, whether they concern issues of living conditions, or issues of specific cases that see the light of day."
He said he also responded to individual issues and questions "that are being managed by the Ministry of Interior, whether they concern issues of living conditions, or issues of specific cases that see the light of day.
"The problem of migration management in Cyprus at the moment is extremely aggravated due to the increased flows," he stressed.
He quoted figures saying that in the first three months of this year almost 5,000 people have arrived, who have submitted asylum applications in the Republic, "which you understand creates a very bleak outlook for 2022."
"In the same period we have managed to return 680 people to their countries, which - surprising as it may seem - is a large number, and has been recognized by the EU, with the objective difficulties that exist," the Minister noted.
"But, I am speaking realistically, it is one thing to be able to return 680 and another to be able to receive 5000 in the exact same period," he said, arguing that "this creates a huge burden for the country, which we are finding it difficult to cope with and manage, either in terms of infrastructure or in terms of the economy."
The Minister went on to say that "for feeding, we have put out tenders for €34 million over the next 48 months, with €30 million of this to be paid from the national budget, i.e. from taxpayers' money, and €4 million to be paid from the national budget, i.e. from taxpayers' money.
"So the problem is real," he said, noting that particularly on the issues of returns, there is an effort to improve with a series of actions to specific countries to move forward, he said, on returns of nationals of countries that so far have not been able to be done."
"So the problem is real," he said, noting that particularly on the issues of returns, there is an effort to improve with a series of actions to specific countries to move forward, he said, on returns of nationals of countries that so far have not been able to be done.
Asked whether the need arises in the EU to restructure its resources and priorities because of the Ukrainian crisis, and whether this is expected to have an impact on Cyprus and the management of flows, the Minister replied.
"At the moment I have been informed that the EU has effectively committed the specific funds relating to migration, which have amounts of €17 billion available, to the Ukrainian one, which will naturally create a bottleneck in terms of funding for non-Ukrainian migration flows," he said."
He added that this is something that all member states are called upon to manage and noted that contacts with the European Commission will continue.
"There is no change of policy on the part of Europe regarding the decisions that have been taken, but it is normal that this huge burden, which Europe is now being asked to carry, will also affect the economic sector, including our country," he said.
The effort is continuing, he said, explaining that this is why the specific working groups have been set up. "Contacts are made on a weekly basis, precisely to avoid, or at least minimize, any problems that may arise," he added.
In response to a question regarding Syrian refugees, the minister said that Syria is so far considered an unsafe country and explained that "returns cannot be made and recorded, or at least it is not recommended that Syrians be returned to Syria because of the danger."
In response to a question regarding Syrian refugees, the minister said that Syria is so far considered an unsafe country and explained that "returns cannot be made and recorded, or at least it is not recommended that Syrians be returned to Syria because of the danger.
"But we have seen that Syrians who enjoy protection status in our country go to Syria, either for medical purposes or for visits to see their relatives and then return to our country. So I have said that this phenomenon is under consideration, because Syrians who have the possibility of returning to their country are obviously not at risk. So, these applications of these particular Syrians will be reviewed by the Ministry of Interior under this particular lens," he stressed.
Asked to comment on the transfer of a number of minor refugees to Paphos, the Minister said that "the effort being made at the moment is to have a better allocation and distribution of minors in the Republic."
He informed that the issue is being handled by the Deputy Ministry of Welfare. "I understand that accommodation has been found in Paphos for the movement of 150 children to Paphos and is already underway. The first 50 have already been moved," he said.
"We are doing everything humanly possible to move these people," the Minister added.
Commenting on Ukraine's trafficking problem and asked to refer to three cases dealt with in Cyprus, the Minister noted that Ukraine was among the top five countries in Europe in terms of trafficking.
"The EU has made specific recommendations to member states that we should be extremely careful, of course in the context of always granting the required accommodation to Ukrainian refugees, in order to prevent phenomena of people being trafficked in a non-legal way, and in this effort many problems are encountered," he said.
He noted that one of the problems is the lack of travel documents, informing that in Cyprus there were no problems of trafficking, but three cases of lack of travel documents, which The flows of refugees from Ukraine involve women and children, he added, due to the fact that the male population, the men, have remained in Ukraine to be combatants.
"All the actions that need to be taken are being taken to establish that they are indeed members of these families," he said, noting that the three specific cases were managed by the Ministry with the assistance of the Ukrainian Embassy. "But we remain vigilant so that there are no problems," he added."
Asked to comment on the case of little Marianna, the minister said that the family in question arrived illegally from the occupied territories in 2018. He then informed that they submitted an asylum application, which was examined.
"Because they come from a country that is not on the list of unsafe countries, seven specific interviews were conducted by examiners of the European Asylum Service, over a long period of time, which could have been shorter, to make sure the examiners whether, and whether, in the event of rejection of this application, their return to Congo would pose any risk to the family," he said.
He noted that the examiners determined that there was no problem for their return to Congo and found their application to be denied. He said they were served with the rejection in December 2021 and added that they have subsequently appealed to the Court. "
These people remain in the Republic, as is their right, and we await the Court's decision," he concluded.
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