EU official recognises Cyprus’ massive refugee problem (updated)

Cyprus signed an agreement with the EU on Tuesday to regulate the return of migrants, with further cooperation to be announced shortly.

Deputy Director-General in charge of the ‘Task Force Migration Management’ Beate Gminder visited Nicosia to sign the deal with Interior Minister Nicos Nouris.

“The European Union recognises the massive problem and challenges which Cyprus is facing and the bloc will continue to provide support,” Gminder said.

For his part, Nouris praised the EU for its assistance but stressed that there have already been 1,335 asylum claims within the month of January.

The minister said that the “new” flow is worrying as it predominantly relates to people who took flights from Istanbul to the north or from Turkey’s southern coast, later crossing through various points along the Green Line. Most of the arrivals are from sub-Saharan Africa and specifically Congo, Nouris said.

Last month, the new European Union Agency for Asylum began work and will help ensure that “asylum decisions are taken in a fast and fair manner and that reception standards converge across the EU”.

Specifically, it stated that the European Asylum Support Office registered 40 per cent of all asylum applications in Cyprus and supported all post disembarkation relocations from Cyprus.

The new agency will receive €172 million of EU funds in 2022 and will launch eight operations (in Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Spain) supporting asylum and reception authorities in Member States with almost 2,000 personnel.