The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, visited this morning the hospitality area in Pournara, where he spoke with the competent officials and asylum seekers about the living conditions in the area.
In his statements to journalists after the visit, President Anastasiades, when asked to report on his impressions of the visit, said that "the first impression is the tragedy that on the one hand people who have been exploited or are generally seeking better living conditions from their homeland face, but at the same time the tragedy that the country faces when almost 5% of our population are political asylum seekers.
We are the first country in terms of population to receive so many applications. It is natural that efforts are being made to address the problems, but this does not mean that problems have been resolved or are not being addressed. None of the countries has overcome the problem without problems.
I have witnessed what is happening at the Pournara structure, immediately followed by a meeting at the Presidential Palace and I believe that in the next few hours decisions will be taken which will provide a solution to the multiple problems encountered at the Pournara structure."
I have witnessed what is happening at the Pournara structure, immediately followed by a meeting at the Presidential Palace and I believe that in the next few hours decisions will be taken which will provide a solution to the multiple problems encountered at the Pournara structure.
In response to a journalist's remark that there are strong criticisms about the living conditions of the migrants and that the Government is being blamed for deliberately treating them with difficulties in order to prevent them from coming to Cyprus, the President of the Republic said "I refuse to comment on such reports.
At a time when some people are going through a crisis, at a time when a state is trying to deal with the crisis in the best possible way, at a time when Europe is coming to the rescue - FRONTEX is present, other officials are present - I have the impression that it is good to focus on how we solve the problems, on how we deal with the crisis that has been created as a result of the flows, rather than on what everyone thinks.
What is necessary is to improve our policies, to improve our infrastructure, so that we can be even more humane."
Asked if he believes that some people are trying to exploit the problems in Pournara to "bash" the government or the Interior Minister in particular, President Anastasiades said that "the Interior Minister is doing an excellent job, as is the Deputy Minister of Welfare and if there were shortcomings due to overcrowding, they will be addressed just as they should be. Already, a big problem has been dealt with, a large number have been transferred and today at the meeting we will see from the juvenile side how to further decongest - there are also problems of procedures that need to be followed - but at the same time how to decongest the large number of adults accommodated."
To a reporter's remark that the Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights raised the issue of offering underage children a piece of bread and a bottle of water a day, the President said "it's not a piece of bread, you saw them. It is missing the drink and that is unthinkable that there is no drink. In my view it is a serious omission.
The President of the Republic was accompanied to Pournara by the Minister of Interior Mr. Kyriakos Kousios, the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights Ms Maria Stylianou Lottidi and the Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights Ms Despo Michailidou Livaniou.
(PM/EC/SX)
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