Fifty unaccompanied minors moved from Pournara

Fifty unaccompanied minors were transferred on Wednesday from Pournara migrant reception centre to an apartment complex in Pervolia, Larnaca, with 100 more expected to reach Paphos in the next few days.

The 150 minors were originally scheduled to be relocated to accommodation in Famagusta following a cabinet decision, but new locations had to be secured after the owner of the original accommodation unexpectedly retracted his offer last week.

The deputy social welfare ministry said that around 2pm on Wednesday, 50 boys between the ages of 15 and 17 were transferred via bus to an apartment complex in Pervolia. The other 100 will go to different accommodation in Paphos.

Pournara hit the headlines earlier this month after dozens of minors left the centre and camped near a church in Nicosia to protest over living conditions, which were described as dismal especially for unaccompanied minors.

This prompted a visit to the facility by President Nicos Anastasiades, which was followed by a high-level meeting that decided on a series of steps to ease overcrowding of both the adult population and of unaccompanied minors.

Just as deputy social welfare minister Anastasia Anthousi said last week, the complex will operate as a controlled closed structure, supervised privately by social workers and the social welfare office.

The closed structure will also include a teaching centre that will provide Greek language lessons and other educational programmes for the minors.