Nicosia seeks EU sanctions for airlines bringing irregular migrants to north

Cyprus has called for EU sanctions on airlines allegedly used by irregular migrants to gain access to the government-controlled areas via the north and Turkey.

The Republic has consistently accused Turkey of ‘instrumentalising’ irregular migrants and Interior Minister Nicos Nouris has drawn parallels to the Belarus-EU crisis earlier this year.

At an informal meeting of justice and interior ministers in France on Thursday, Nouris called for sanctions on all Turkish airlines which systematically transport irregular migrants to Tymbou (Ercan) airport in the north who then often cross via the Green Line into government-controlled areas.

The minister has long stated that more than 85 per cent of applicants for international protection have taken routes to the Republic from via Turkey or the north.

His proposal was quickly welcomed by Edek which on Friday described it as “a step in the right direction.”

Nouris raised the issue of sanctions on airlines earlier this week when an EU official visited Cyprus, who informed the minister that efforts are underway to draw up laws which would take such measures.

Deputy Director-General in charge of the ‘Task Force Migration Management’ Beate Gminder said that such discussions are ongoing at the European Parliament and other institutions and as such, a tool – sanctions – may be available in the future.

But as for the similarities to the Belarus crisis, the EU official told Nouris that the country has made efforts to prevent irregular migrants from entering the bloc.

Cyprus’ effort to secure sanctions on airlines follows proposals which were made during the Belarus-EU migration crisis in mid-2021, when thousands of migrants from Asia and the Middle East were allegedly invited to Belarus and later diverted to the EU’s borders.

But in November 2021, Turkish authorities prevented all Iraqi, Syrian and Yemeni citizens from flying onto Belarus.

Turkey’s Civil Aviation Authority cited illegal migrant crossing from Belarus into the EU.

The EU had also considered sanctions against the Russian state airline Aeroflot for transporting migrants to Belarus.

According to a press release following the meeting, Cyprus has asked for dialogue between the European Commission and Turkey so that the latter’s lack of cooperation on the migration issue can be raised.

EU officials have previously stated that they are in favour of extending a five-year-old deal under which Turkey was given €6bn to stop the flow of migrants to Greece, with more money being provided.