-
.
- Русский
The Minister of Interior, Mr. Constantinos Ioannou, met today with the Vice-President of the European Commission for the Promotion of our European Way of Life, Mr. Margaritis Schinas, at the Ministry of Interior.
After the meeting, the Minister of Interior said the following.
The purpose of our meeting was, on the one hand, to inform him about the current situation, the new facts and figures, but also about the policies of the new government in these areas.
Mr Schinas has a very good knowledge of the problems and challenges that we face as Cyprus in the field of migration. He is the first European official who has personally visited - during his previous visit to Cyprus - and the Green Line, which is the entry point where 95% of irregular migrants enter Cyprus.
Therefore, I have informed Mr. Schinas about the four main pillars of our priorities on migration as a new government.
The first pillar in our handling at the moment is (a) Measures to prevent flows, mainly from the Green Line.
The Green Line is not an external border of the EU, but a suis generis situation.
The Green Line is not an external border of the EU, but a suis generis situation. And this is why the Republic of Cyprus is limited in the measures it can take internally to prevent illegal crossings from the Green Line, such as surveillance by a Border Guard Unit and the installation of surveillance electronic means.
Nevertheless, we are investing at European level, in the Eastern Mediterranean Action Plan. I hope that the positions of the Republic of Cyprus will be used in order to have tangible and substantial results on the issue of irregular migration from the Green Line, and this through a diplomatic approach towards Turkey, through the use of EU policies and instruments.
It is obvious that Turkey is instrumentalising migration flows by facilitating the arrival of third country nationals in Cyprus. These irregular migrants mainly originate from sub-Saharan African countries. They usually hold so-called student "visas" after enrolling in "colleges" in the occupied territories, which are then directed to the free areas.
Another pillar of our priority, as I explained to the Commissioner, is (b) speeding up procedures for examining asylum applications. It is well known that the inability of the asylum system to handle the large volume of applications and the prolonged duration of their examination was a major pull factor for irregular migrants and the circuits that guide them. We are optimistic that by doubling the number of examiners, we will be able to reduce the delays in processing asylum applications to the minimum possible.
I also informed about the third pillar concerning (c) the strengthening of infrastructure, for which we also receive a lot of financial assistance from the EU. For example, we are aiming to create the Accommodation Centre in "Lakes" and the Pre-Removal Centre in Menoyia, the construction of which is on track and we believe that they will greatly contribute to a more efficient processing of asylum procedures, as well as to the acceleration of returns.
The last important pillar, which falls within the framework of our policy actions, is also (d) strengthening and increasing the returns of third country nationals to their countries of origin, aiming to achieve a number approaching or exceeding 1000 returns per month.
Finally, the Government's decision to create a Deputy Ministry of Immigration, as well as integration issues, were also on the agenda of our meeting.
Mr. Schinas,
I want to be clear that our goal is to mitigate the situation, to cope with the migration challenges, which unfortunately are becoming a major problem, due to the disproportionate numbers of migrants we have to deal with.
I want to stress that the majority of applications for international protection in Cyprus are considered unfounded. Specifically, in 2022, 96% of all Asylum Service decisions were negative decisions. The numbers clearly show the abuse of the asylum system by third country nationals who have no valid reason to apply for international protection.
Our aim is to overcome the obstacles of increased flows and the high volume of unfounded applications in order to achieve in its true dimension the reception and integration of refugees - those in real need of support and protection.
I hope that we as Member States will reach a comprehensive agreement with the new Pact on Immigration and Asylum, which will be based on genuine solidarity between States, with equal sharing of responsibility.
In conclusion, Mr. Schinas, I must express my sincere thanks, through you, to the EU institutions and, in particular, to the European Commission, for the support provided to us - especially in recent times, but also for the excellent cooperation that has been developed in order to manage migration flows in Cyprus."
For his part, Mr. Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission for the Promotion of our European Way of Life, said.
In a moment I will meet all the Ministers who manage all the policies that make up the European way of life. But there is no doubt that within this range of policies, the management of migration in Cyprus is not just a Cypriot national priority, but is also a major pan-European issue for two very simple reasons: because Cyprus is one of the small member states and the disproportionate pressure it is under creates particular problems, and secondly, because we have the specificity of the Green Line, which also raises issues of a legal and political nature, which we have to deal with effectively, but also There is no aspect of immigration that is not directly linked to European assistance, European funding and European solidarity. And I want to assure you, Minister, that this support will continue unabated and will be intensified in the years to come, in all aspects: in the improvement of the Centre in Pournara, in the creation of the new Pre-Accession Centre in the Lakes with a total amount of around 100 million euros, but also in the financing of returns.
I insist that Cyprus is emerging as one of the most dynamic partners in the return of those who are not entitled to asylum in the European Union, but I also hope in the medium to long term for a national integration strategy, for which our assistance will also be decisive, as well as the transfer of minor refugees from the Centre in Pournara to special centres where they will have better guarantees of protection and security.
I say all this to show that migration is not a lost cause, but a cause that we can win by working as we have worked together so far in the whole framework of these actions, and we have before us a very important new step, which is the preparation in the short term of a European Union action plan for the Eastern Mediterranean and the management of migration, a process in which the Republic has put forward very useful proposals.
We are in the final phase of working on these proposals. We want this action plan not to be a benign approach, but to have clear commitments to the root causes of migratory flows in the countries of origin and transit and of course to a much more systematic effort both with Turkey, immediately after the Turkish elections, and with the Turkish Cypriot community, so that they all become co-responsible for this major issue that we are called upon to address here in Cyprus.
Thank you, Minister, for your hospitality and I want to end as I began. I want to assure you that in this effort Cyprus is not alone. Europe is there to support and assist."
Afterwards, an enlarged meeting of the Vice-President of the EU was held with the participation of the Ministers of Interior, Mr. Konstantinos Ioannou, Ms Athina Michailidou, Ms Anna Koukkidis-Prokopiou, Minister of Justice and Public Order and the Deputy Ministers of Culture, Mr Michael Hatzigiannis and Ms Marilena Evangelou, Minister of Social Welfare. During the joint meeting, issues that fall under the portfolios of the Ministers and Deputy Ministers concerning the Promotion of the European Way of Life were discussed.
(EFF/MK)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
