Filenews 19 October 2021 - byPambos Vasilas
For many farmers in free Famagusta, the phenomenon of foreign workers, mainly from Egypt, who, while coming to Cyprus to work with a visa guaranteed by their employer and after paying the expenses of their ticket, disappear when they arrive on our island. They then appear to the authorities of the Republic as asylum seekers. According to a representative of the producers' and farmers' groups of the region, Andreas Hadjianastasis, the examination of the asylum application takes six months and when it is normally rejected, since there are no grounds for Egypt for its citizens to apply for political asylum in other countries, the applicants are instructed to submit an objection. The objections, Mr. Chatzianastasis continued, take up to two years to be examined and rejected.
All this time, explained the representative of the farmers in Kokkinochoria, the Egyptians and other abusers of the right to apply for political asylum in Cyprus, have the right of residence and work on our island. This is how they end up in other provinces and other professions, mainly in construction, working until the time comes for their expulsion and enjoying higher wages than in the agricultural sector, but also easier working conditions.
In the meantime, Mr. Chatzianastasis added, the only losers from this story are the farmers, who lose their money, they do not even have workers who are so needed, while if they are given three such workers, they lose the right to employ a foreign worker for six months, from the date the latter disappeared. "It is unacceptable for this to happen at the expense of our farmers, especially when we maintain excellent relations with Egypt as a country", underlined Mr. Chatzianastasis. Mentioning that yesterday at the Sotira SFA, representatives of the professional groups of farmers were going to meet to discuss the problem, Mr. Chatzianastasis stressed that there are ways to solve it.
At least as far as the agricultural workers from Egypt who resort to this fraudulent way of entering our island are concerned, the farmers are suggesting to the competent Ministries and Services, that in consultation with the Egyptian Government, the ways for their immediate deportation should be found. So that the message can be passed on to the neighbouring country and the phenomenon can be cut off.
Also, Mr. Chatzianastasis argued that behind the phenomenon farmers are convinced that there are hidden lawyers and law firms, who in the past created problems of a similar nature in Cyprus, as they undertake to promote asylum applications after the objections of Egyptian workers, with the compensation of course.
