Filenews 21 December 2022 - by Despina Psylou
The refugee and migration crisis is costing the state dearly. The Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare had to pay €25.9 million from January to October 2022 for the needs of asylum seekers. The amount relates to payments for personal expenses, rent, vouchers and hotels in 71,665 cases in the first ten months of the year. These are the results of a survey by the Cyprus Institute of Demographic and Migration Policy. The President of the Institute, Andreas Morfitis, underlined the need to take measures as well as the lack of cooperation between the stakeholders.
In particular, the data of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare states that until October 2022, €25.9 million was spent for the basic needs of asylum seekers. A monthly allocation of €2.5 million and approximately €362 per case. Expenses were similar during 2021, as they amounted to €34.9 million. for 95,565 cases.
As underlined, the overall percentage of asylum seekers constitutes 6% of the country's population. In addition, there is talk of record migration flows as they exceeded 20,000. A year earlier the arrivals of refugees and migrants were 13,235. Respectively, in 2020 it was 7,094, in 2019 it was 13,548, in 2018 it was 7,761, in 2017 it was 4,582, in 2016 it was 2,936 and in 2015 it was 2,253.
The first country of origin of refugees and migrants is Syria with 3,836 applicants (19%). They are followed by Nigeria with 2,913 applicants (15%), Congo with 2,881 (14%), Pakistan with 1,586 (9%), Afghanistan with 1,551 (8%), Bangladesh with 1,324 (7%), Cameroon 989 (5%), Somalia 933 (5%), India 635 (3%), Nepal 427 (2%) and other countries 2,913 (14%).
Of the 20,258 new asylum seekers, it is underlined that only 6% entered the Republic of Cyprus legally. The remaining 94% entered from the occupied territories via the Green Line. In addition, it was underlined that forced voluntary returns of migrants tripled compared to the previous year. In particular, by November 2022, 7,100 were repatriated. In 2021 2,320 migrants were repatriated and in 2020 1,272 migrants were repatriated.
The president of the Cyprus Institute of Demographic and Migration Policy, noted that the survey lasted five months and was completed in October 2022. As he said, "the Republic of Cyprus has failed to achieve the coordination of policies, measures and activities for a comprehensive response to the migration and demographic problem".
At the same time, the lack of coordination of the competent bodies of the state and the "lack of cooperation, common understanding and mobilization of co-competent Ministries and services were noted. The lack of solidarity from the EU. The underestimation of the demographic problem by the Republic of Cyprus".
Among the suggestions, Mr. Morfitis mentioned that a comprehensive and comprehensive migration and demographic policy needs to be designed and implemented, with targeted measures, for the effective management of migration flows, the confrontation of demographic ageing and the preservation and maintenance of the population balance in Cyprus.
It is necessary, he said, to establish a Central Agency / Service / Deputy Ministry for the continuous and systematic monitoring and study of the issue. In addition, summarily reject applications from irregular migrants coming from safe countries. To create a specially trained corps (at least 1,000 people) with the sole task of controlling the Green Line and coastal areas. Immigrant cases and appeals should be heard as soon as possible. At the same time, he suggested the implementation of social and economic measures and incentives to encourage the increase of births and the creation of large families by young couples of Cypriot nationals.
