President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades will be in Brussels on 9 February for the extraordinary European Council Summit.
The main topic of the Summit will be the migration issue and ways of dealing with it will be discussed. President Anastasiades will highlight the disproportionate burden borne by the Republic of Cyprus due to the greatly increased migratory flows, while highlighting the instrumentalisation of the migration issue by Turkey.
According to the latest Eurostat data, Cyprus is at the forefront, where in the last five years it has become the EU Member State with the highest percentage of asylum seekers. It is reported that the percentage of asylum seekers and persons who have already been granted protection status amounts to 6% of the population of the Republic of Cyprus. Moreover, about 95% of migrants enter through Turkey, then go to the occupied territories and then cross the Green Line to the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and apply for political asylum.
In a letter to the leaders of the Member States ahead of the European Council, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen describes migration as a European challenge for which a European response must be given. The President of the European Commission notes that geopolitical instability, demographic trends and climate change are further intensifying the pressures. She also underlines the need for agreement on the Pact on Immigration and Asylum. In her letter, the President of the Commission also stresses that efforts will continue to ensure the full implementation of the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration.
On Wednesday 8 February at 9:30 a.m., the Council of Ministers will meet.
On Sunday 12 February, the day of the second round of the Presidential elections, President Anastasiades will exercise his right to vote at 9:30 am at the Lanitio Lyceum, Centre A in Limassol.
(PM/MB)
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