Pafos Live 21 August 2023
The meeting at the Presidential Palace where the "sinful complex" in Chloraka was put on the table.
According to the first update, it was decided as
1. The registration by the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Police and the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior, in the presence of officers of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, of those residing in the said complex, begins immediately. The registration will be completed no later than Friday, August 25, 2023.
2. On the basis of the results of the inventory:
a. Asylum seekers residing in this complex in violation of the 'Designation of Residence of Applicants for International Protection within the Administrative Boundaries of the Community of Chloraka Decree of 2020' will be transferred to the accommodation centre in Kofinou, where they will receive the status of immediate examination of their applications and at the same time they will be given the right to voluntarily leave the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
b. Those who reside in the said complex and have legal status in the Republic will be given a period of two weeks from the date of completion of registration to find alternative legal accommodation. It is noted that in the case of vulnerable individuals and families with minor children, the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare will provide the relevant support.
c. It goes without saying that in the context of registration, those found to be illegally in the Republic will be arrested and deported immediately.
3. Upon completion of the above, the Government will take all necessary measures for the faithful implementation of the decree of the District Officer of Pafos.
The President of the Republic gave explicit instructions to the Police to intensify controls in the area of Chloraka to fully safeguard public order."
Asked if the site will be sealed, the Spokesman said that all measures will be taken so that the decree of the Pafos District Officer can be implemented.
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Cyprus Mail - by Andria Kades
The government on Monday decided migrants protesting over their living conditions in Chlorakas should be kicked out and relocated to Kofinou.
Police were instructed to execute the order immediately, after a meeting chaired by President Nikos Christodoulides with the attorney general, ministers of interior and justice, deputy welfare minister, undersecretary to the president and police chief.
The migration department will begin noting down all asylum seekers who have been living in the contentious Ayios Nikolaos apartment complex in Chlorakas.
According to government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, legal residents will have a two-week timeframe to find an alternative place to live but in the meantime will be sent to Kofinou. Vulnerable groups and families with minors will have support from the deputy welfare ministry.
Those living here illegally will be arrested and deported immediately.
The count is expected to be wrapped by this Friday, and all migrants will be transferred to the Kofinou reception centre where their applications will be immediately evaluated.
They will also be presented with the option to voluntarily return to their home country.
Christodoulides has also ordered police to increase inspections in the area “to fully ensure public order”.
Asked if the area will be fenced off, the spokesman said all necessary measures will be taken to implement the decree issued by the Paphos district officer in November 2021 but has yet to be implemented.
The decree banned the use of the Ayios Nikolaos complex for health and safety reasons.
Around 600 people were reported to be living there last year and two months ago, three people were arrested for electricity theft by connecting to the nearby substation. According to the head of the Chlorakas community council, this has been happening for months. The issue came to head last week, after their electricity was cut off by the EAC and the substation placed under guard. Around 100 people began protesting and demanding to be housed elsewhere.
Nonetheless the protest turned violent with police’s anti-riot unit intervening and chemical irritants used against the demonstrators.
The rear windshield of a police vehicle was damaged from the rock throwing.
Residents in Chlorakas carried out their own protest last week holding banners which read “#NoMoreFakeRefugees” and called on the government to act, saying the neighbourhood was no longer as peaceful and quiet as it used to be.