Filenews 14 August 2021 - byMichalis Hatzivasilis
They attribute the new immigration measures, after the change in legislation last October, as asylum applications fell on the one hand, while on the other hand the number of applications examined increased at an unprecedented rate.
At the same time, according to the Interior Ministry, virtual students as well as virtual marriages have almost disappeared. At the same time, migration flows continue with crossings concentrated by sea, or through areas such as Chrysochous Town or Troulos, instead of in the area of Peristeron – Astromeritis due to the barbed wire fence installation.
According to updated data from the Interior Ministry:
- Up to 30/6 this year - after the change in policy on dealing with migrants - 1,055 persons, or 26.3%, have arrived legally, while illegal arrivals have reached 4,500 or 73.4%.
- Before the policy change had been recorded in 2019 and 2020, 7,189 or 34.7% of legal immigrant arrivals and 13,553 or 65.3% illegal arrivals.
For asylum applications, the following data are recorded: 2015: 2,253; 2016: 2,936; 2017: 4,582; 2018: 7,761; 2019: 13,648; 2020: 7,094. This year up to June 5,555 applications were submitted, a number that is increased due to Turkey's practice of promoting migrants from its coast to the occupied and from there to the free areas.
Speed up examination
This year, following the change in practice and the introduction of procedures for examining asylum applications – express - there has been an increase in applications which are manifestly considered unfounded. Before the policy change, the examination of asylum applications was time-consuming, as shown by the data: In 2015 1,867 applications were examined, 2016: 1,834; 2017: 2,334; 2018: 2,669; 2019: 4,372 and 2020: 4,637. Since the policy change, 6,892 have been examined this year. The Asylum Service had also rejected, before government policy changed, far fewer asylum applications than this year.
In 2015 473 applications were rejected, 2016: 676;, 2017: 1,209;, 2018: 1,260 2019: 2,053; 2020: 1,730. This year 5,419 applications have been rejected, a record number due to accelerated procedures. In the meantime, the numbers of virtual students and virtual marriages have been zeroed, following the introduction of criteria and the removal of permits from town halls. According to home office figures, between 2017 and 2019 there have been around 4,000 sham weddings, while between 2020 and 2021 there appear to have been no sham marriages, while a large number of previous marriages deemed to be sham have been cancelled. As for virtual students, before the policy change, 3,214 people had applied for asylum between 2017 and 2019, of whom 2,239 appeared to have had a virtual marriage. From 2020 to 2021, there have been no reported incidents of virtual students enrolling in colleges since the criteria were changed, while the few asylum applications from students may relate to students enrolled in colleges in previous years.
Strict criteria have worked
As mentioned in "F" by a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new immigration policy that the Government has implemented for some time is distinguished for its human, but at the same time, decisive treatment of pathogens and distortions of the system. The legislative procedures passed by the House of Representatives aim to contain and drastically reduce the number of immigrants currently in our country.
One of the tricks used to apply for asylum has been found to be enrolment in higher education colleges. It is characteristically stated that through this period in the three years 2017 – 2019, 3,214 persons applied for asylum and another 2,239 married European citizens who are validly classified as virtual. Under the new policy, decisions co-created by the Ministries of Education and home affairs set strict conditions and drastically reduce loopholes in the system. So now, the requirements for college enrolment include:
- Submission of a bank statement on the possibility of repaying the tuition fees for the first year of study.
- Statement that he/she does not travel to Cyprus because his/her life is in danger.
- Certification of good knowledge of the English language either by presenting internationally recognised certificates or by carrying out an oral examination.
- The right to work will be limited in the context of practical training within the curriculum or in a related sector.
The number of enrolments in the same academic year, in total, will not exceed the maximum number of seats allowed by the Ministry of Education.
The other way of claiming to remain in the Republic, in which the Government intervened decisively through three Laws that have been in place since October 2020, is to prevent the commission of sham marriages. It is estimated that in the three years 2017 – 2019 there were almost 4,000 virtual marriages mainly by certain Town Halls. The provisions of the three Laws provide that from now on a civil marriage is required, inter alia, to obtain a certificate of freedom from the registrar of the Interior Ministry. By the same way, the same conditions were introduced in the Civil Partnership Act. It should be noted that for a municipality that appeared to have had sham marriages in it, this power has been removed, while the same will be done with other municipalities.
Full of Hospitality Centres
Today, the situation in the Hospitality Centres is grim since both are chock full. The First Support Centre in Pournara currently has 1057 persons, 114 of whom are unaccompanied minors. From 1/1 to 20/7/21, 4921 persons have been admitted to Pournara, while in the same period 5043 persons have left. At the Asylum Seeker Hospitality Centre in Kofinou, there are currently 250 people.
