[PIO] The Minister of Interior held a press conference on migration

Minister of Interior Mr.Konstantinos Ioannou spoke about the reduction of asylum applications and an increase in the return of irregular migrants to their countries of origin for the three months of March - May 2023, during a press conference on migration.

The Minister presented today, at the Press and Information Office, the current situation with facts and figures, the realities and problems that make the task of managing migration more difficult, and spoke about the policies and measures taken by the new Government in the areas of asylum and migration.

The Home Minister, in his speech, said that in handling the migration issue, the policies of the new government focus on five areas.

The first, he said, is (a) improving the response capacity and strengthening human resources to manage/ expedite asylum application processing procedures. "Several things have been done in this area, and we have measurable results," the Home Minister said. "The asylum system's inability to handle the large volume of applications and the prolonged duration of their examination was a major attraction for irregular migrants, as well as the circuits," Ioannou noted.

"To deal with the backlog of asylum applications and ensure timely processing, an additional 27 asylum examiners have been recruited, while the recruitment of a further 25 examiners has been rolled out until September," the Minister stressed. He said that the number of examiners has doubled, which is gradually contributing to the increase in the processing of applications. "As a result of this, the number of decisions has increased significantly. In particular, 2,400 cases have been examined in the last two months (April-May), to the point of exceeding the number of arrivals in the corresponding period: 1,646 asylum applications," he explained.

Ioannou added that emphasis is also being placed at the same time on (b) increasing the return of third country nationals to their countries of origin. Comparing the 2023 figures with previous years, he described the numbers as "encouraging". "In the March-May quarter of 2020, returns were only 132. The corresponding quarter of 2021: 387, in 2022: 1,169, while in 2023 from March to May, returns have doubled compared to last year, reaching 2,312," the Minister said.

He also reported an intensification of the pace of relocations/relocation of asylum seekers, with 406 people having been transferred to other EU member states in the last quarter. This number, he said, "is the highest we have reached so far in terms of relocation of asylum seekers from Cyprus to other EU member states, and it is important to say that it is expected to triple by the end of July."

"In the last two months, for the first time in many years, the total number of migrants leaving Cyprus is higher than the total number of migrants arriving."

"In the last two months, for the first time in many years, the total number of migrants leaving Cyprus is higher than the total number of migrants arriving."

"In the last two months, for the first time in many years, the total number of migrants leaving Cyprus is higher than the total number of migrants arriving. Specifically, while 1,646 people came to Cyprus, more than 1,788 people left," the Interior Minister said.

The other priority area, he said, is (c) the strengthening of reception and accommodation infrastructures. "Very important infrastructures that will contribute greatly to the more efficient handling of asylum procedures, but especially to the acceleration of returns, are the creation of the Accommodation Centre at the "Lakes" and the Pre-Removal Centre, whose construction has been wheeled and will be completed in about two years," he said.

Speaking about the fourth priority area, which is (d) Flow Deterrence Measures targeting the Green Line, he said that much of the efforts are focused at the European level and referred to the Eastern Mediterranean Action Plan. The Minister, during the press conference, presented some of the positions of the Republic of Cyprus, which focus on addressing the influx of migrants from the Green Line, through a diplomatic approach to Turkey, making use of EU policies and tools.

As a measure to deter flows from the Green Line, which is not an external border, so the measures taken are limited, the Minister said, there is also the recruitment of Special Constables from the Cyprus Police, as well as the installation of surveillance electronic means.

He added that an information campaign was also planned, in collaboration with the Press and Information Office, to deter would-be irregular migrants from sub-Saharan African countries, presenting them with the realistic situation and the dangers of illegal immigration.

Finally, he spoke about the fifth priority area, (e) the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, saying that a relevant bill has been sent to the Legal Service of the Republic, for legislative review and that it is expected to be submitted to the Council of Ministers within June 2023 for approval.

Concluding his intervention, the Minister said that "comparing the figures of the last three months with those of last year, we see a drastic reduction in asylum applications, a development that creates a cautious optimism that we are on the right track. Specifically, asylum applications for the months of March-May 2022 were 6,454, while this year (2023) in the corresponding months were 3,325 - that is, less than half as many."

"We hope that the reduced applications will continue as a result of the actions and measures we are taking and that they will bode well for even better results in the management of migration," the Minister continued.

"Our goal 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 who are in real need of support and protection", concluded the Interior Minister. here].

In response to a journalist's question regarding the installation of a European mechanism at Istanbul airport for visa supervision, as well as the disincentives for colleges in the occupied territories regarding the granting of student visas - positions of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the Eastern Mediterranean Action Plan - the Minister clarified that the issue in question "is also being discussed at the level of the European Union."

In response to a journalist's question regarding the installation of a European mechanism at Istanbul airport for visa supervision, as well as the disincentives for colleges in the occupied territories regarding the granting of student visas - positions of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the Eastern Mediterranean Action Plan - the Minister clarified that the issue in question "is also being discussed at the level of the European Union.

He added that "some of our positions have started to be implemented" and noted that there had recently been a visit by European Union officials to Istanbul". There has been communication with both the airport and air carriers about some measures to begin and they have already begun to be taken, he said.

Possibly, he noted, this may be contributing, along with some other actions, to the fact that we already have reduced flows. Regarding the role of Frontex or any agency, he said there is a reaction from the Turkish authorities. The philosophy, he added, is that with the installation of a control mechanism, the travel documents or the so-called visas that they hold can be validated if they are indeed students.

Referring to the criteria for issuing student visas (visas) for universities, he said that some are the attestation of the financial status of students, meaning that one can afford the tuition fees, and some other attestations, if, for example, they do indeed possess languages, such as English. He mentioned that in interviews conducted with migrants who have come to the occupied territories as students, and subsequently to the free areas, it was observed that they do not speak English well, and questioned how they were admitted to universities

He noted that "if there were a check at Istanbul airport, or ideally in the countries of origin, then these cases would be identified and they would not be allowed to leave." When the first checks are made, then a message will be sent to the others not to use this route, he said. I have been giving instructions for 2-3 weeks now and we are collecting data on which universities, so-called "colleges" they are enrolled in, so that we can make some other inquiries outside the European Union.

Asked to clarify whether there should be an agreement at the political level between the European Union and Turkey and whether there should be a consensus on the Turkish side to implement these actions, the Interior Minister replied in the affirmative. "Certainly, so first of all there should be consensus, cooperation from the Turkish side," he said. "That is why I mentioned in my speech that it is also a potential difficulty for us to control the illegal flows from the occupied territories, and there must be understanding and cooperation from Turkey."

With us, as you know, there is no communication with Turkey, so only through Europe, the Minister said. "Already some of these actions that we have recommended have been performed," he said, referring to the airlines. He explained that some of these airlines fly to other European countries and sanctions may be imposed.

Asked to provide figures regarding the total number of applicants whose application is either pending or rejected and awaiting return to their countries, Ioannou noted that the total number of those who have applied or been rejected is 55.000, i.e. 6% of the population of Cyprus, a statistic that proves the disproportionate pressure Cyprus is under compared to the rest of the EU countries.

Referring to the briefing given to the Ambassadors of the EU Member States two weeks ago, the Interior Minister said that the magnitude of the problem in Cyprus is understood by our European partners. "From there, we want solutions and help. We get enough financial and technical assistance and for that we thank the European Union," he said, adding that there is still a need for EU assistance at the political level.

Next, in response to a question on the creation of the Lakes Pre-Migration Centre, the Interior Minister reiterated that there are some facts that limit us in terms of handling the migration issue.

One of them, he pointed out, is the Green Line, which is not a border and, by extension, limits our country in what it can do.

In addition to this, Ioannou continued, "another major limitation we have is what we call a pre-removal centre. This means that when someone applies for asylum and is rejected, they then have the right to appeal it, go to the Court and again be rejected - and almost 99% are rejected

This also shows the size of the problem, that these are not real refugees who are coming, but are coming for economic or other reasons." When someone is rejected, the minister explained, they have to be deported because they are staying in Cyprus illegally. To be deported, he must be arrested by the police and held in a detention facility for a period of about 2-3 weeks until the procedures for his deportation are completed.

As Ioannou said, there is not enough detention space to cover the large needs. Giving as an example a recent incident with an African country that accepted the request of the Republic of Cyprus for the repatriation of 930 of their nationals residing illegally in Cyprus, the Interior Minister underlined the difficulty in terms of detention facilities, which in turn is an obstacle to the arrest of these individuals.

At the moment, he said, there is availability in the existing space for 128 people and, in cooperation with the Police, we are making full use of the availability in other detention facilities. However, he explained, the problem remains because there are hundreds of people involved. "So, if we have this space, we could have illegal residents arrested and deported in much larger numbers. This centre will start building this summer and will be completed in the next two years. So for the next two years, we have this objective difficulty as to how we can act to reduce the numbers of those who do not wish to leave voluntarily but will be deported," he underlined.

Responding to a reporter's comment that despite the extra staffing of the team to process applications, deportations cannot proceed due to the lack of custodial structures, the Interior Minister clarified that one has to take a global view of all the actions being taken.

He explained that when someone is rejected, their benefits are cut off. Therefore, if there are delays in the processing of applications, it means that benefits continue to be paid despite the fact that they have been reduced to a minimum.

He also referred to the information campaign expected to start next week, in cooperation with the Press and Information Office, which will inform those who intend to travel to Cyprus and apply for asylum about their rights in terms of benefits, when and under what criteria they can receive benefits, when they are cut off and why they cannot work in Cyprus if their application is rejected.

Ioannou also referred to the cooperation that exists with the Ministry of Labour to intensify controls and identify those who reside and work illegally in the Republic.

"It is all these actions that we are taking to make Cyprus no longer attractive as a destination and to 'push' them towards voluntary returns or at least to stop them coming in the numbers they are coming in," Mr. Ioannou said. Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
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