No problem in hosting Ukrainians in Famagusta area, Karousos tells mayor

Cyprus has an obligation as an EU member state to welcome Ukrainian refugees, including in the Famagusta district, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said on Wednesday, rebutting Paralimni mayor who said migrants and refugees will harm the tourism product of the area.

The minister, who was speaking in Xylophagou, said this is a “humanitarian issue” and reminded that in 1974, “several refugees from Cyprus were welcomed or travelled abroad”.

“I don’t think there will be a problem if Ukrainians are accommodated in the government-controlled areas of Famagusta district,” he said, explaining that on this issue, he disagrees with Paralimni Mayor Theodoros Pirilllis.

Karousos insisted this policy will not change and said, “I do not share the views of the Mayor of Paralimni, I have disagreed with him, and I have told him so.”

“If and when there are Ukrainian refugees, we must, as a member state of the EU, offer what other countries offer to these refugees,” the minister said citing the relevant European Regulation that has been passed.

“We will welcome them because it is a war, they are refugees and let’s not forget, we experienced it in 1974,” he added.

Asked about relations between Cyprus and Russia, the transport minister replied that these are issues handled by the foreign ministry.

“There is a war, we have condemned this invasion of Ukraine by Russia at a great cost, in fact, since we have cancelled flights, as in the entire EU,” he said. Russia is traditionally Cyprus’ second largest tourism market.

The minister was responding to statements by Pyrillis, who disagrees with migrants but also Ukrainian refugees settling in the coastal area of Protaras and has proposed instead they be dispersed across the island.

“We don’t want in any case not to offer [help], but at the same time we must protect our tourism product,” he said.

Pirillis claimed that people will not choose to holiday in areas where there are migrants, explaining that tourism is connected with “luxury” whereas immigration is “misery and pain”.

The mayor also denied racism claims against him, saying he has “many friends who are non-Cypriot” and that he himself was an immigrant once and subjected to discrimination.

He added he is willing to host up to six Ukrainians at his house in Paralimni, which is not in the tourist area.

Some 8,000 of millions of people who are estimated to have fled Ukraine have arrived in Cyprus over the last two months, according to Interior Minister Nicos Nouris.

“But we have daily arrivals of about 100 to 180 Ukrainian refugees over the last week,” he said Tuesday. So far, some 873 have applied for temporary protection.