Filenews 27 January 2023
Cyprus will acquire two more structures in order to better manage the issues of irregular migration and at the same time to decongest the Pournara First Reception Centre, which has been drowned by migrants and refugees.
The two structures will concern a Shelter which will be an extension of Pournara and a Pre-removal Centre, in which those who are for deportation from Cyprus will reside, with a total capacity of 1,800 people. These two Centres will be built in the area of Mennogeia, which is now becoming a centre for migrants, since there is already a place for hosting asylum seekers, as well as the Migrant Detention Center (HOKAM).
Yesterday, the Ministries of Interior and Transport, Communications and Works, through the Department of Public Works, as a Contracting Authority with the main aim of addressing the problem of irregular migration in our country, announced a tender for the construction of a Hospitality Centre "Limnes" for applicants for international protection and a Pre-removal Centre for persons to be repatriated, also in the area of Limnes, in Mennogeia, Larnaca district.
The project concerns the design, construction and eight-year maintenance of a total area of 27,000sq.m. (ground floor and first floor). It also concerns the design, construction and eight-year maintenance of existing building facilities, with a total area of approximately 1,400 sq.m., which concerns works on existing ground floor spaces.
Specifically, the project consists of the following two Centres:
►Accommodation Centre: The Accommodation Center, which will have a capacity of about 1,000 people and will be home to applicants for international protection whose application has been rejected in the first instance.
►Pre-removal Centre: The Pre-removal Centre, which will have a capacity of about 800 people and will be home to third-country nationals whose application for international protection has either been rejected at first instance and have not appealed to the Administrative Court of International Protection, or their appeal has been rejected, or they have applied for repatriation by renouncing this application.
In addition to the basic infrastructure in each Centre, the project will include, among others, areas for public activities, services, sports facilities, recreational/playground areas, areas for the exercise of religious duties, public gardens and outdoor parking for vehicles. Also, near the project, a biological wastewater treatment plant will be built through another contract, which will cover its needs, as well as the needs of the nearby Reception and Accommodation Center for Applicants for International Protection (K.Y.F.A.D.P.), in Kofinou.
The project will be implemented by design, construction and eight-year maintenance method and its estimated value is €80,000,000 plus VAT. The contract is expected to be signed in June and its duration is 4 months. The whole project is funded by the European Commission with the amount of €2023,2023,24, which fully covers the construction costs of the two Centres. According to the Ministry of Interior, this funding is additional funding, due to the increased migration flows observed in Cyprus. It is estimated that upon completion of the project, this will be used mainly for the effective return of irregular migrants to their countries of origin and thus this is expected to contribute decisively to the effort of the Ministry of Interior to manage irregular migration in general.
March the 300 border guards – 7,500 pushbacks in 2022
By the end of March, the 300 border guards will be ready to help reduce migration flows through the Green Line.
Today, the sports tests of those who applied and did not change their minds are completed and are expected to be evaluated afterwards. It remains for them to go through a drug test and those who are negative will then be dressed in the uniform of the police officer. It is estimated that in the end all 300 positions may not be filled, however, the intention of the Chief of Police, Stelios Papatheodorou, is to re-announce for the recruitment of what is needed to complete all 300.
According to the procedures, those who will be recruited now will go through six-week intensive courses at the Police Academy and then will be sent to the Police Directorates (except for Limassol) to take up duties.
In the meantime, a total of 7,500 illegally staying third-country nationals in the Republic of Cyprus were returned to their countries of origin in 2022, while on January 24 this year 38 more people were returned.
A statement issued by the Communication Branch of the Police Headquarters stated that the Cyprus Police "in cooperation with the Hellenic Police and under the coordination of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) organised a joint forced return flight of third-country nationals residing illegally in the Republic of Cyprus. Specifically, on the evening of January 24, an aircraft chartered by Frontex coming from Athens made a stopover in Larnaca, where 38 illegally staying migrants boarded. The operation was coordinated by the Aliens and Immigration Service, members of which, with the assistance of other police departments and members of the Frontex Standing Corps, accompanied the migrants to their countries of origin."
It is added that on the instructions of the Chief of Police, the Aliens and Immigration Service continues to focus its efforts on maximizing the number of returns and since the beginning of the year 107 people have already been deported, while another 360 people who were staying illegally in the Republic have been returned voluntarily. It is noted that, in 2022, 7,500 illegally staying third-country nationals were returned to their countries of origin.
Delayed by the two Centres
Until the tender is completed and the two Centres are built, it will be June 2025. Until then, no one knows what the situation will be with the migration issue in Cyprus. With today's flows and last year's record, if there is nothing spectacular to stop them, then the problem will get worse.
The creation of the two Centres is a step in the right direction. On the one hand, Pournara "breathes" and on the other, those who are under deportation will now be detained in a special area. It took a long time though. We did not have to wait for Pournara to "overflow" in order to rush with the creation of a second Accommodation Centre. In any case, the new Accommodation Centre in Mennogeia will also decongest the area around Pournara. We hope that the measures on the Green Line will bring results, otherwise we will continue to have problems.
