Temporary voluntary return centre to be created for migrants

The state will be creating a temporary centre for migrants choosing to voluntarily leave Cyprus in the coming months, while the construction of the new reception centre in Limnes is ongoing, reports said.

According to a report in daily Politis, the centre will operate with the partnership of the International Migration Organization (IOM) of Greece and the Civil Registry and Migration Department of Cyprus. The creation of the centre, which is considered a temporary solution until the completion of the Limnes Reception Centre, was decided during the meeting held by Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou with Gianluca Rocco, head of the IOM of Greece on August 2.

According to information, the centre will be created with Swiss funds amounting to €1 million and will be able to be financed by European funds under the European Funds Unit of the Ministry of Interior (AMIF).

As Politis reported, a source close to the matter said pending the completion of the corresponding Limnes Centre, it was considered right that the creation of an open Voluntary Return Centre would contribute to maximising the number of returns of immigrants to their countries of origin, with an emphasis on immigrants who are vulnerable persons.

According to information, the centre in question will be given priority for accommodation for families and vulnerable people, including people with health problems, unaccompanied minors, elderly people (+65), victims of human trafficking, pregnant women, and people with other vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Transport Ministry is expected to sign the works contract for the Limnes project.

This is the contract for the creation of the Limnes Reception Centre and the Pre-Departure Centre in Menoyia, Larnaca. The project is expected to be completed within 24 months. These centres will help to better manage asylum procedures but also to speed up the return of migrants to their countries of origin whose asylum applications have been rejected. The construction of the centres is co-financed by the EU and the Republic of Cyprus under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund of the Program Period 2021-2027, amounting to €67.6 million from the EU.

The figures of the returns during the first 5 months of the year are considered by the government to be quite encouraging and this can be seen through the official data. In the four months from March to July 2022 the returns were 2,323, while in 2023 from March to July the returns were over 3,670.

Now, when it comes to applications between 2022 and the corresponding period of 2023, they appear to have dropped by 53 per cent. From March to July 2022, applications reached 10,625. From March to July 2023, applications reached 4,976.