Filenews 8 April 2023
Cyprus is drowning in asylum applications with procedures being accelerated both in terms of first instance examination and judicially. The Ministry of Interior, in consultation with the Supreme Court, promotes, as Minister Constantinos Ioannou revealed to "F", the hearing of appeals by the Administrative Court of International Protection in the afternoons as well.
At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is promoting a series of changes in accommodation and containment structures and expects a lot from the EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean.
The numbers speak for themselves regarding pending applications, since applicants and beneficiaries of international protection in Cyprus have exceeded 55,000 people, which corresponds to more than 6% of the country's population, while for 2022 alone, 21,565 new asylum seekers were registered.
As Mr. Ioannou told us, in order to achieve faster procedures, the Ministry of Interior has recently increased the number of Asylum Service officers who will examine applications by 27, while they will increase by another 16 and will reach a total of 100. With this reinforcement, we will be able to process 1,900 applications per month compared to 1,200 we are currently examining. In addition, the recruitment of another 25 examiners will be promoted in order to process pending applications. There is also consultation with the Supreme Court so that lawyers can become judges and hear appeals by applicants in the afternoons.
29,000 applications for international protection status are currently pending before the Asylum Service, although in 2022 16,005 decisions were issued by the Asylum Service. As for the situation this year, it is improving, but the numbers remain high. In the first quarter of 2023, applications amounted to 3,181. The months of January and February have decreased applications compared to last year by 50%, while the month of March shows an alarming upward trend of 1,678 applications. Last year, 5,066 asylum applications were submitted.
There is also a great struggle for the returns of migrants whose applications are rejected. This year 2,180 people have returned to their countries. It also promotes the transfer of migrants through the pilot voluntary relocation scheme to other EU Member States. The relocation of 210 asylum seekers to Germany, France, Bulgaria and Romania has been achieved in the past three months and a number of relocations are expected to continue in the coming period.
Regarding the creation of a Deputy Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the goal, Ioannou said, is to submit the relevant bill by the end of May, so that it will be established by September. The minister explained that the services concerning the Civil Registry Department will remain with the ministry.
The Minister also referred to the implementation of the Eastern Mediterranean Action Plan. This is a plan agreed by the European Council last February as a result of the coordinated actions of the former Minister of the Interior, and we are currently discussing the content of the plan. The ministry is working on various provisions that we will ask the committee to include in the plan, which will have added value and will contribute substantially with tangible and measurable results. According to the information we received from the European Commission, Mr. Ioannou underlines, démarches and contacts have already been made with competent representatives of Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, as well as with competent officers of the Istanbul airport authorities, in order to find a way to better manage the flows to Cyprus through Turkey.
He wondered how it is possible that the number of unaccompanied children coming through Turkey to Cyprus has increased so much and that no measures are taken. According to data provided to "F", in 2021, 287 unaccompanied children arrived in the free areas, while in 2022 they amounted to 958.
Upgraded Pournara-Kofinou
A great effort is being made to manage migration in terms of accommodation and containment structures. According to the Minister of Interior, a tender is currently underway for the construction and operation of a new Accommodation Center and the Pre-removal Center in the "Limnes" area in Menogeia. The project will be built with €67 million in emergency EU funding. Specifically, the project will consist of the Accommodation Centre, which will have a capacity of approximately 1,000 people and the Pre-removal Centre, which will have a capacity of approximately 800 people.
At the same time, the First Reception Centre "Pournara", in Kokkinotrimithia, is being upgraded at a cost of €25 million. The upgrade of the Accommodation Centre in Kofinou is also in progress, in order to be able to accommodate more people. Specifically, its capacity will be increased from 450 beds to 700.
