Demetriou to discuss migration with counterparts next week

House speaker Annita Demetriou will inform other EU counterparts about the migration crisis and the increase in migratory flows to Cyprus, at meeting in Palma de Mallorca next week.

A parliament statement on Friday  said that the conference will address “the EU’s strategic autonomy in the face of new challenges for liberal democracies in the age of social media and artificial intelligence, in relation to foreign and defence policy; Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East”, as well as  “strengthening the EU from an economic and social perspective, the new EU financial rules and the strengthening of the Economic and Monetary Union in the context of enlargement, social rights and environmental and climate challenges”.

During the conference, Demetriou will inform her counterparts about the increased flows of Syrians from Lebanon to Cyprus.

In addition, following Demetriou’s initiative, a joint meeting of house speakers from southern member states (Cyprus, Greece, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Malta) will be held on the same issue, on the sidelines of the conference, with the participation of the European Parliament, during which she will exchange views on the possibility of taking joint action on the issue.

On Sunday, Demetriou will participate in a meeting of female house speakers, with the main topic of discussion being women’s leadership.

Demetriou will also have private meetings with the speaker of the Danish parliament, Søren Gade Jensen, and the head of the Czech senate, Miloš Vystrčil.

Demetriou returns to Cyprus on April 24.