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Statements
by the Government Spokesman after the meeting on migration |
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The Government Spokesman, Mr
Konstantinos Letymbiotis, made statements after the meeting on migration. During his statements the Government Spokesman mentioned the following: “The meeting under the
President of the Republic regarding the briefing on the effective management
of the migration issue has been concluded. The meeting, which was attended by
the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Justice and Public Order, the Minister
of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, involved the exchange of
views on the effective management of migration to maintain the positive
situation observed these past few months, especially considering recent
developments in the region. One very important aspect,
acknowledged by the Republic of Cyprus is the approval of the EU Action Plan
for the Eastern Mediterranean Migration route. Cyprus has been one of the
leading countries in formulating this plan, and we will support as much as we
can the effective and immediate implementation of all provisions to keep up
with the positive results of the recent months. Starting today, November 1st,
an additional 25 examiners have been hired, resulting in double the number of
the examiners. It is known that applications’ examination period has been
reduced to one to three months and we have also set up a cross-departmental
team to make recommendations so that Cyprus becomes a less attractive
destination for migrants. The President of the Republic
has been informed about the results of checks conducted to identify illegal
labour, and these checks will be intensified in the immediate future. What is
considered very important and prioritised is the establishment of a Deputy
Ministry of Migration. Therefore, we once again call on the House of
Representatives to embrace the priority of the issue of migration, especially
during this period and approve its establishment as soon as possible. It is,
in fact, a proposal of the bill submitted to the House of Representatives
since the summer. We call on the House of Representatives to complete the
bill’s review and pass it into law.” Following, the Government
Spokesman answered to press questions: When asked if any additional
decisions were made today besides those announced yesterday in the meeting of
the Ministry of Interior, Mr Letymbiotis stated: “The President of the
Republic has been briefed by the Minister of Interior. The meeting you
are referring to was an interdepartmental meeting, and the Minister of
Interior duly briefed the President of the Republic on a series of proactive
measures to be taken in case they need to be activated. Some other
precautionary measures or decisions have been taken and will be activated if
necessary. There will soon be an
announcement from the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare regarding the
regulations concerning the Minimum Guaranteed Income (EEE), for individuals
under the status of political refugees. Presently, they are entitled to apply
from the first day they are in our country under that status, whereas for
Cypriot citizens or European citizens, a period of five years must pass. This
regulation is now being balanced, providing equal treatment regarding the
Minimum Guaranteed Income. At the same time, we will continue to closely
monitor developments. You can understand that the situation in our region is
unstable, therefore we are closely monitoring developments to be able to take
any necessary measures in a timely manner.” (IA/ASP/KK) |
