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Christodoulides suggests creation of deputy ministry of immigration

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The establishment of a deputy ministry of immigration that will help speed up procedures in Cyprus so the country stops being an attractive destination for migrants was proposed by presidential candidate Nikos Christodoulides on Saturday.

Taking into account the extent of the problem on the island, the 48-year-old politician said “it is time” to proceed with the establishment of a deputy ministry of immigration, following the model of other EU member states which receive fewer migrants.

He explained that the aim of the deputy ministry will be to make procedures “significantly faster”, thus stopping the country from being an attractive destination for irregular migrants.

Christodoulides was speaking after his visit to Ormidia, Larnaca, a village that is also affected by the increased influx of irregular migrants.

But the migration issue is not only a problem for Ormidia, but the whole of Cyprus, the former foreign minister said, blaming Turkey for sending migrants to the government-controlled areas through the north.

“[There is] data concerning a conscious effort on the part of Turkey to instrumentalise human suffering by constantly sending irregular migrants through the Green Line.”

Saying that he does not want to ‘nullify’ efforts to curb migration, he noted how “very important work has been done” with significant improvements in the procedures that are followed.

However, “very concrete actions” are needed so the Republic of Cyprus stops being an attractive destination.

The presidential candidate was visiting the Larnaca village as part of a bus tour of the Famagusta district, accompanied by members of his staff to present his campaign and proposals to resolve various issues the society faces.

“It is what our collective effort brings, that unites, so that problems can be addressed in a better way,” he said, adding that he knows ‘very well’ the challenges of the community and the need to support the primary sector of the economy.

According to Christodoulides, locals face problems related to the cost of production, the transportation of products from Turkey and foreign workers, which are directly intertwined with migration.

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