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Today, the Minister of Interior Mr.Konstantinos Ioannou presented before the Finance and Budget Committee the key policies and reforms of the Ministry of Interior included in the State Budget for 2024 and the Medium Term Fiscal Framework for the three-year period 2024-2026. This is a balanced Budget, with strong growth characteristics and a clear social orientation, which will be achieved through the implementation of radical, people-centred and social reforms.
The proposed Budget of the Ministry of Interior for 2024 amounts to €739 million and is increased by 11.5% compared to the approved Budget for 2023. This demonstrates the State's commitment to invest in projects to develop, upgrade and improve the quality of services and, by extension, the daily lives of citizens. [/B]Migration Management
Effective management of migration is a serious challenge for the Government. It is a complex and highly sensitive issue that requires multi-level actions through a holistic approach. As a frontline EU Member State, Cyprus is under intense migratory pressures and specific measures are being taken to rationalise these pressures, aiming at reducing flows and increasing returns. In order to achieve the objectives, actions focus on preventing flows, speeding up the procedures for the promotion and examination of asylum applications, ensuring the existence of adequate reception facilities and increasing the number of returns.
To manage the migration issue, the Ministry of Interior focuses, inter alia, on the following actions.200 applications per month, compared to 1,200 completed at the beginning of the year, which allows the gradual examination of pending applications, [*]extending the period of exclusion from access to the labour market to nine months, [*]intensifying controls to suppress illegal employment, [*]setting up an interdepartmental team to coordinate and implement synergies, [*]strengthening the return sector, resulting, by October this year, in the voluntary return to the countries of origin of some 6.000 persons, compared to 4,900 in the same period last year. By October 2023, the total number of departures, including more than 1,500 relocations, was 9,300, compared to 5,800 departures in the corresponding period of 2022 (an increase of almost 60%), and [*]implementation of an information campaign in Sub-Saharan African countries (Congo and Nigeria), aimed at presenting the real dimension of the migration issue in Cyprus.
As a result of the above measures, the number of new asylum applications in the period March-October decreased by about 50%. In absolute numbers, 7,700 new asylum applications were submitted in the above period compared to 15,200 applications in the corresponding period in 2022. For the first time, the overall balance of arrivals-returns shows a positive picture, with our country ranking among the top European countries in absolute numbers of returns.
With regard to the external dimension of migration, emphasis is now placed on the implementation of the Eastern Mediterranean Action Plan, aiming at the effective management of flows. At the same time, an initiative is being promoted by the Republic of Cyprus for the reassessment of the status of Syria by the EU and the designation of specific areas in the country as safe, which will contribute to the possibility of returning Syrians who do not meet the conditions for obtaining refugee status.
In the framework of international and European obligations, measures are being taken to strengthen the Republic's capacity in terms of reception and hosting infrastructure for migrants. To this end, work has begun and is expected to be completed within 24 months on the construction of the new Hospitality Centre, with a capacity of around 1,000 people, and the Pre-Removal Centre in the "Lakes" area of Menoyia, with a capacity of around 800 people. Also, in early 2024, the upgrading of the "Pournara" First Reception Centre will be completed at a total cost of €25 million.
In conclusion, the establishment and operation of the Deputy Ministry of Migration and Asylum is an important pillar of the Government's migration policy, as it is expected that by bringing all relevant Services and Departments under one umbrella, there will be better coordination, supervision and promotion of substantial synergies.
2. New single housing policy
The Ministry of Interior recently announced the single housing policy, with specific, costed and targeted actions to revitalise rural areas, strengthen mountainous, marginal, remote and disadvantaged areas, provide financial support to displaced persons and ensure access to affordable housing. For the implementation of housing measures, an expenditure of €43 million has been foreseen in the 2024 Budget and an additional €84 million for refugee housing policy.
On the basis of income criteria and family composition, the different housing policies cover groups of citizens, with a focus on medium and low income earners, young couples, displaced persons and residents of marginal and mountainous communities or rural areas.
The integrated housing policy includes, inter alia, the following:
[*]Strengthening existing Housing Plans aimed at revitalising mountainous, disadvantaged, remote and marginal areas, rural areas and the walled city of Nicosia. A total of 1,261 beneficiaries have benefited from these measures, which were successfully implemented by the previous Government, since 2019 to date, with total financial support amounting to €46.5 million. The Schemes are currently being re-evaluated and will be re-launched with additional enhanced incentives in early 2024. The proposed expenditure for 2024 is €22 million and is an increase of €2 million compared to 2023. [*]Through targeted housing refugee policy, the Ministry of Interior proceeded directly with a vertical, percentage increase of 15% in rent subsidy amounts to existing categories of beneficiaries, without affecting any other criteria as to how applications are considered. In addition, the BuildingZO Project is at an advanced stage, with the aim of finally solving the long-standing problem of housing beneficiaries in the 358 apartment buildings located in government-run IDP settlements. The Plan reflects the social sensitivities and moral obligation of the Government towards the refugee population. The BuildingZO Project has a 10-year completion horizon, with implementation in three phases and a total budget of €130 million [*]Mitigate the serious housing problem by introducing concrete short- and medium-term actions to increase the production of housing stock and make it available to the affordable housing market. The measures include, inter alia, the "Renovate-Rent" Grant Scheme with a budgeted amount for 2024 of €12.5 million, the Built to Rent Scheme on private land, the revision of urban incentives, the Young Couples and/or Young People under 41 years old Sponsorship Scheme with a total budgeted expenditure for 2024 of €5.6 million, the Land Allocation Scheme for low-income families with a budgeted expenditure for 2024 of €1 million, etc.
3. Local Government Reform
2024 marks the culmination of the Local Government Reform effort[/B], the main objective of which is to create stronger and sustainable entities that will be able to provide higher quality and more efficient services to citizens at the local level.
As we approach the end of a long journey, the processes are intensifying, with the aim of local authorities completing all the necessary actions at central and local level. Among other things, the implementation of the new information system "EVAGORAS" and the establishment of the Provincial Authorities (POAs), which will, among other things, assume responsibility for the licensing of development, are being promoted. In order to enable a smooth transition to the EDAs of licensing, the recruitment process for 105 people, at a cost of about €4.5 million, is underway. These officials will be in charge of processing pending applications so that the new Organizations can start operating free of pending issues.
In addition, to support this new effort, the State will contribute with additional financial assistance to the new Municipalities. In particular, for 2024, a total allocation of €117 million will be granted, increased by approximately €46 million compared to 2023, as well as €18 million to the Free Communities and €4.7 million to the displaced Local Authorities.
4. Modern Urban and Spatial Planning
Modern urban and spatial planning is high on the priorities of the Ministry of Interior, as a vehicle for economic recovery and improved prosperity.
To this end, the following are being promoted. This includes, among other things, the renewal of planning incentives for developments relating to the hotel industry.
- Radical reform of the urban planning process through a set of 22 measures, which will be implemented in stages, with a completion date of 1 July 2024 for the implementation of the local government reform. The measures are aimed at simplifying procedures and reducing the delays that have been observed for many years in issuing planning permits
- A series of targeted incentives in the Local Plans and Area Plans that are being prepared or will be revised in the coming period, which include provisions and policies for the social, economic and environmental upgrading of urban centres and clusters.
- Adoption of the bill to facilitate strategic development projects, marking a decisive modernisation in attracting strategic developments and for the wider economy. This legislation, which comes into force in 2024, simplifies permitting processes and reduces bureaucracy by implementing a new policy of fast-track permitting for strategic developments in 12 months
- Introducing changes and reforms to simplify the application process for low-risk developments through relevant legislation.
For the presentation file, see here.
(MCI)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
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