An agreement, which includes standardised procedures on return issues was signed today, for the first time, between Cyprus and the European Commission, while the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding is expected soon, which will include an Action Plan for a more effective management of the migration issue.
The Minister of Interior met at noon with Ms. Director General for Migration and Home Affairs, Ms Beate Gminder, at the Ministry of Interior, during which they discussed, inter alia, the current situation with regard to migration flows, the return of third country nationals to their countries of origin, EU funding issues and the signing of the Agreement on Standardised Procedures for Returns.
After the meeting, the Minister made statements to journalists. After welcoming Ann. After welcoming the Director General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission, he thanked her for her visit, "which clearly shows the European Commission's (EU) assistance to the problem that Cyprus is facing with the increasing migratory flows."
He said that "the Ministry of Interior is making every effort, through a structured programme, to effectively manage migratory pressures."
"For last year alone, 2021, despite the fact that 13,235 new asylum applications have been submitted, with 85 per cent of them coming through the occupied territories via the Green Line, we have nevertheless managed to manage and examine 16,000 applications, which proves the effectiveness of the asylum system we have structured and, of course, to adjudicate almost 13,000 rejected asylum applications," he said.
"2022 did not start with good omens for the issue of migration. The numbers are overwhelming. 1,335 new asylum seekers have applied for asylum in the Republic of Cyprus and this is almost double the number we had in the same month 2 years ago in 2020," he said.
He noted that the physiognomy of the new flows is worrying, as there is now a dominant element of those coming from sub-Saharan Africa, with Congo being the first, and explained that they are "all coming through Turkey, either through Istanbul airport or through the southern coast of Turkey, arriving in the occupied territories, and passing through various points on the Green Line in the Republic-controlled areas."
In light of all this, the Minister noted, "during our meeting with the DG, we discussed the issue of the return of third country nationals to their countries of origin, which is a key priority for us this year, together and simultaneously with the management of the Green Line."
He mentioned that today they have discussed and finalized clear and standardized return procedures involving the EU and Frontex. "We have reached an agreement which we have co-signed," he added.
He noted that the request of the Republic of Cyprus to provide the financial assistance needed for the new Pre-Removal Centre to be built in the "Lakes" area in Menoyia was also discussed, along with the upgrading of the existing Centre, which he said had been operational a few months earlier.
He reported that alternative ways in which the Republic could receive additional financial assistance for the costs of the new Centre were also discussed, as well as the problems presented by the overcrowding residing in the Pournara Centre as a result of the very large flows.
The Minister said that Cyprus and the EU are in the process of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding, which includes the actions that need to be taken so that we can have a more effective management of the migration issue.
In closing, the Minister thanked Ms Gminder for the fact that the EU is actively showing with its presence its support for the problems that our country is facing and added that it is a member state that has proportionally the largest number of inflows of irregular migrants.
He noted that the support of the EU is also shown by the fact that a series of visits will follow in the coming days and informed that the Head of Frontex, Mr. Leggeri, as well as the Vice-President of the EU, Mr. Margaritis Schinas, who will also meet with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, will soon come to Cyprus.
"So the EU is here. We thank it very much. We thank all those who have contributed to our efforts and we look forward to the most effective support in order to be able to manage this very serious issue that our country is facing today," he said. Director General for Migration and Home Affairs, in her remarks, said that Cyprus is indeed under great pressure due to the arrivals of asylum seekers and migrants. The EU must and will help Cyprus to face this challenge, Ms Gminder said, adding that Cyprus has set up a very effective system to deal with these arrivals. She said that the focus in recent months has been on reaching an agreement on returns, expressing satisfaction that the standard procedures for joint return operations between the EU, Frontex and the Republic of Cyprus have been adopted today.
She noted that the need to increase reception capacity in Cyprus is evident and said that the EU will support Cyprus in this area. He informed that a Memorandum of Understanding is being prepared, which will include an Action Plan.
He also indicated that efforts will continue to raise awareness to prevent the departure of migrants from the countries of origin, who he said are misinformed by smuggling rings.
He thanked the Minister of Interior for the excellent cooperation and the great team, under his supervision, working with the Commission to prepare the Memorandum of Understanding, which is expected to be agreed upon soon.
Asked by a journalist why the EU does not react in the same way regarding the transit of migrants to Cyprus from Turkey, as in the case of Belarus, and whether the EU is taking action, Ms Gminder replied that in Belarus an effort was being made to prevent departures and a proposal for legislation is being drafted to criminalise airlines actively involved in the trafficking of migrants. This is an issue that is being discussed with the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers and is likely to be a tool that will be available in the future. He added that the President of the EU and the Commissioner for Migration are in close contact with Turkey and discussions are ongoing.
For his part, the Minister said that Turkey is the root cause of the problem of channelling irregular migrants into the Republic. He said that the issue has also been raised at the level of the President of the Republic to the EU and that efforts will continue in order for the EU to demand from Turkey the implementation of what has been agreed upon for the Republic of Cyprus, as with the other member states.
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