Filenews 3 October 2021 - by Androula Taramounta
The Republic of Cyprus expects practical solidarity from the European Union on the migration issue. It invests in the new European Asylum and Migration Pact, which it considers to be the pinnacle of solidarity that should be demonstrated in particular in the frontline Member States, which are under the greatest pressure.
Interior Minister Nikos Nouris is clear: he expects our country to be safeguarded as an external border of the EU and to implement measures on the Green Line to stem the flow of migrants from Turkey through the occupied territories, without it being recognized as a border. He expects that the solidarity as expressed by the Commissioner responsible will take shape.
-The presence here of the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and the new Migration and Asylum Pact gave you another opportunity to raise the problem of migratory flows from Turkey through occupied areas. In this respect, what is the specific request of the Republic of Cyprus in order to deal with the problem?
-Commissioner Johansson's visit is of particular importance, on the one hand, because it comes at a time when Cyprus continues to receive daily, increased migratory flows, disproportionate for its size and capabilities, and on the other hand because it already completes more than a year of discussions on the new European Pact on Asylum and Migration, unfortunately without much progress, it is important that both the European Commission and our partners in the Union share that time is flowing to the detriment of everyone, especially the frontline Member States.
The absence of a common policy to deal with immigration has serious consequences for the Member States, especially those on the front line. It is a fact that no state can manage or bear the burden of immigration on its own.
I have had the opportunity to explain to the Commissioner that the existence of the green line, which is not our natural border, and Turkey's exploitation of the difficulty of exercising effective control due to the long length of the dividing line, is the most serious problem facing us. Turkey systematically and on a daily basis promotes irregular migrants coming from its southern coast through the occupied area. The lack of cooperation by the occupying authorities which not only do not prevent irregular migration to the areas controlled by the Republic, but on the contrary encourage it. And that's another serious problem that we're trying to manage.
It is at this level that we have asked for the European Commission's assistance, not vaguely but fundamentally and specifically. we have requested:
- The renegotiation of the EU-Turkey Joint Statement, so that Turkey can fully meet its obligations towards all Member States without exception, including Cyprus.
- We want to see a clear and determined attitude on the one hand by Europe towards Turkey, which systematically uses immigration in an attempt to blackmail the Union.
- We also demand the substantial intervention of FRONTEX in order to monitor the southern lying areas of Turkey in order to prevent the illegal departure of vessels that systematically transport migrants to the Republic through the occupied territories. At the same time, we made it clear that the Republic of Cyprus will not tolerate illegal crossings through the Green Line.
We therefore expect the Commission's support in our efforts to monitor the green line. And it is particularly important to point out that the need to guard the Green Line and prevent illegal crossings from the one that reaches up to 75% of the total migratory flows we have in the Republic, was also recognized and expressed by my colleagues from the other Mediterranean member states of the front line, med5 during the recent summit in Malaga and was recorded both in our discussions with each other and in their public statements.
-From understanding to the result there is a huge distance. And until we reach a result that satisfies our demands there seems to be this huge distance...
-It is a fact – and I have also pointed this out to the Commissioner herself – that despite our repeated calls for substantial support for the Republic of Cyprus and the implementation of much-discussed solidarity by the other Member States, very little has been done. However, the fact that during the Commissioner's visit we heard in the most formal way the recognition through Commissioner Johansson that Cyprus is the Member State facing the greatest flows and that everyone should stand by Cyprus, leaves us optimistic that, at last, there will be a response and substantial support for Cyprus. In addition, we must not pass over the Commissioner's commitment to raise the issue of irregular immigration to Cyprus in her forthcoming meetings in Turkey at the highest level. This is an important development and we will await our information on the outcome of this intervention.
-It seems that you are not convinced when it comes to sanctions on Turkey. Lukashenko is treated differently from Brussels differently by Erdogan... What should be done?
-I would like to remind you that Cyprus was one of the first Member States to welcome the Commission's immediate response to the problem Lithuania is facing. I expressed to the Commissioner again the certainty that we expect that the support to Cyprus should be similar, since we have been experiencing this phenomenon, not for the last 4 months but for the last 4 years. I have also explained to the Commissioner that Cyprus supports any measure that moves towards limiting migratory flows to Europe, since if Turkey is allowed to continue undisturbed the instrumentalization of migration, Europe and especially our country will be faced with a huge crisis, possibly bigger than the one we experienced in 2015. I have explained that Turkey today, not only does not respect its contractual obligations to the European Union, but on the contrary, is promoting such migratory flows as the Syrian one towards Cyprus, with the expectation of causing destabilisation. We understand that there are peculiarities in the EU-Turkey relationship that make it difficult and special to deal with and impose sanctions on Turkey in relation to the treatment of which the Lukashenko regime has been treated. Nevertheless, Europe cannot continue to whistle indifferently in the face of Turkish provocation. Therefore, there must be a substantial response from Europe to this practice by Turkey, and it is for this reason that we are looking forward to commissioner Johansson's forthcoming visit to Ankara in two weeks' time for high-level contacts on migration, during which she, as I said before, pointed out that she will also raise the issue of Cyprus in depth.
-We understand that the European Commission is throwing the ball into your court on how to deal practically with flows of migrants from the occupied territories. Especially from the Green Line which is not a border. What are you going to do about it?
-Given that the Green Line is the route through which 75% of migrants pass through the Republic of Cyprus, we consider it necessary for the measures to prevent irregular migrants to be taken at the external borders of the European Union to be applied to the Green Line, with the clear political distinction that has been made clear at all levels, that the Green Line is not our border. However, in order to deal immediately with the phenomenon of irregular crossings, we certainly did not stand idly by in anticipation of the European Union, but we have already moved forward and we will intensify our actions to guard the Green Line and prevent the flows. We have stopped the flows at key points from which the phenomenon was observed by installing a fence, we are monitoring the fence and we are upgrading this surveillance with the use of technological means in order to enhance deterrence.
-What can be the common ground between Nicosia and Brussels to reduce the problem?
-The common denominator can only be the very necessity to protect the European Union from the possible additional increases in migratory flows that Europe is already receiving. Cyprus is an external border of the European Union and as such should be safeguarded with the contribution of our partners and the Commission. Migration is not only a problem for Cyprus, nor is it a problem that will disappear. Population movements are a global phenomenon and should be decisively tackled through joint actions and policies. In view of the past and the events of 2015, we should therefore at last safeguard Europe's external borders and the social cohesion of the Member States threatened by heterogeneous migratory flows towards the Union while at the same time ensuring that those who really need protection, the real refugees, will receive the humanitarian treatment and protection that we must grant them. However, given that the vast majority of migrants arriving in Cyprus are not refugees but economic migrants, there was an identification with the Commissioner that it is necessary to facilitate member countries in intensifying returns, either to their countries of origin or to the countries from which they arrive.
Frontex Protective Shield
-You asked for a stronger Frontex presence and the Commissioner, in her presence here, said that she is present. So what happens? We did not see any arrest of vessels from Turkey...
-The current presence of FRONTEX in our country is certainly appreciated, since it is a valuable ally in our efforts to enhance returns. We are very grateful for the work that FRONTEX produces in Cyprus in cooperation with the competent state services. Nevertheless, the agency's role is not limited to this area but also extends to much more substantial actions. It is therefore precisely for this reason that we have called in the most formal way on the European Commission to assist us through FRONTEX in restricting sea arrivals from the southern Turkish coast, which is clearly the root cause of irregular migration to Cyprus, and on a daily basis.
Not only does Turkey not take measures to prevent the flows, but it systematically uses the migration by managing the sea passage between its coasts and the coasts of Kyrenia like a closed sea, not allowing Frontex to control illegal immigration. What we are asking of the European Commission, therefore, is to give the agency a clear political mandate and jurisdiction so that its vessels can monitor the southern Turkish coast and stop illegal sailings before they reach our occupied territories. I have also conveyed this request to the Executive Director of FRONTEX himself, Mr Fabrice Leggeri, the response of which has been absolutely positive.
The adoption by MED5 of the need for supervision of the Green Line is extremely important
-As far as the asylum system is concerned, it needs to change - to what?
-The asylum system currently applied by the European Union clearly needs to be changed. The migration crisis of 2015 made it clear that the existing legislative framework on Asylum did not correspond to the political reality and the general geopolitical instability in the Middle East and African countries.
The concept of the first Asylum Member State and the consequent responsibility for examination has led to the collapse of the asylum and reception systems of the frontline Member States, including Cyprus, which have traditionally received the highest numbers of applications.
Moreover, the need to strengthen relations with third countries has emerged, both in terms of preventing flows and strengthening returns, something which the Commissioner herself, during her presence in Cyprus, also stated that it is her own priority.
The aim of the new European Pact is to create a holistic system based on an equal distribution of responsibilities, while at the same time containing sufficient clauses to discharge Member States, which face disproportionate migratory pressures. One of these measures is redistribution. In addition to the new system resulting from the Pact, the competent European agencies such as EASO and FRONTEX have increased powers to support states, while enhanced measures to guard the external borders are also proposed.
At national level, much has been done in the last year in the area of asylum. Both at legislative and administrative level and on infrastructure issues. It is for this very reason that, in the first 8 months of 2021, we succeeded in handing over 7,000 negative asylum decisions compared to the 2,053 rejections of 2019 and the 1,730 of 2020.
-What do you expect med 5 to achieve to protect European borders?
-I must say that the MED5 team is now a compact entity and Cyprus plays an important role in this group. In a short space of time, we have succeeded in becoming a force to be reckoned with at political level and we are now enjoying the recognition and attention of both the European Commission and our other European partners. Together with my counterparts in Greece, Italy, Spain and Malta, we have put on the table our basic common goals, since the challenges we face are uniform and with them we present ourselves in the negotiations on the new European Pact on Asylum and Migration. The common goal is the protection and protection of the Union's borders and the wider management of migration. At the last summit in Malaga, Spain, through constructive discussion, we reached an extremely important common position to deal immediately with the many problems we face as frontline countries.
More specifically, three specific proposals were adopted in their entirety, which Cyprus submitted and it was decided to promote and discuss at the next Home Affairs Council next week in Luxembourg, in parallel and simultaneously with the discussions on the new Pact. Bearing in mind that the discussions on the new Pact are stalling, the five MED 5 Member States consider it necessary to take forward immediately our three proposals in order to assist the frontline Member States.
The recommendations of Cyprus, which are now recommendations of MED 5, concern:
-Measures to secure the external borders of the European Union and the green line.
-The European Commission takes initiatives to conclude agreements with safe third countries to promote the return of irregular migrants.
-Activation of all appropriate mechanisms in order to drastically reduce the numbers.
I consider the recognition by all the Ministers of The Interior of MED5 to be extremely important that measures should also be taken to monitor the Green Line, without it being recognised as a border, since it has been proven to be the transit route of the largest percentage of irregular migrants to the areas controlled by the Republic.
+3 return agreements on migrants are under negotiation
-When Mrs. Johansson stated that Cyprus needs solidarity in the form of relocation, what can our country expect?
-The relocation of a number of migrants and the fair redistribution between Member States on the basis of their size and capabilities, is our main aim and claim since the start of negotiations on the new European Pact on Asylum and Migration. It is, if you like, the pinnacle of solidarity that should be shown especially in the frontline Member States, such as Cyprus, where we are facing the greatest pressures. The vertical negative attitude of a number of Member States in relation to relocation does not leave us much room for optimism about reaching an agreement within the framework of the pact.
Nevertheless, the fact that the Commissioner, in her presence here, pointed out that all Member States must show in practice their genuine solidarity and support towards Cyprus is a vindication of our demands. Without agreements on relocation and the strengthening of returns, it is certain that Cyprus will not be able to manage the excessive burden it continues to accept every day. We therefore expect that the Commissioner's position will be fleshed out in proposals to our European partners so that there can be real solidarity with Cyprus. But until such a decision is taken, we do not sit with our hands crossed. We are intensifying the effort of returns through bilateral agreements that we are trying to conclude with a number of third countries. Two were signed and three more are in the process of being negotiated.
