Filenews 21 December 2023
With a prepaid card, allowances will now be paid to asylum seekers, to ensure that they end up for their subsistence and not for entertainment.
This is one of six measures decided yesterday at a meeting at the Presidential Palace, during which migration and challenges for 2024 were examined. The meeting also took place ahead of the arrival of EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson in January.
As announced yesterday by Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letympiotis, it was decided that:
>> The Republic of Cyprus, in cooperation with other states, promotes further discussion at European level on the need to review the status of Syria and in particular some areas already designated by international organizations as safe.
>> Promote the tightening and doubling of penalties for offences related to smuggling of irregular migrants.
>> Make representations to Interpol to strengthen cooperation with the competent authorities, and exchange information.
>> Establish a special unit to combat irregular migrant smuggling networks in the Police.
>> The payment of allowances for asylum seekers should be made through a prepaid card to ensure that the benefits are actually used to cover living needs.
>> Expediting Dublin Regulation procedures for family reunification in other European countries.
"F" reports that the card (visa) to which remittances will be made by the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare will not be able to be used to buy drinks or at the casino or in boukika, for example, but only for food and clothing.
Encouraging picture
Meanwhile, in his statements, the Minister of Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, referred to the encouraging results recorded so far on the issue of new asylum applications. As he said, in 2023 migrant arrivals have halved as a result of the measures taken. "There is an increase in sea flows, but despite the increase in arrivals by sea, so far there has been a 50% decrease in total arrivals and an 80% increase in returns which is even more significant. Last year the returns were about 5,500, this year we have exceeded 11,000 and for the first time in the history of migration more people have left than have come and the percentage of returns on arrivals reaches 105%," the interior minister said. Indicative of the good picture is that, while last year the percentage of asylum seekers was 6% of the total population, now it has decreased to 5.3%.
In addition, Mr. Ioannou referred to the cooperation with other ministries and authorities to take various actions, such as intensive checks in workplaces to identify irregular migrants employed illegally.
Asked to comment on the approval of the Pact on Migration and Asylum by the European Parliament, Ioannou described the decision as a step in the right direction, clarifying that the Republic's plans are not affected by this development. As he explained, Cyprus has no land borders and therefore cannot apply practices applied by Greece and Spain.
Referring to meetings he had last week in Geneva with Lebanese officials, Ioannou said he reiterated his intention to support Lebanon's request for financial assistance. "They told us they were helping to monitor the sea lanes. One thing I want to mention is that we know the boats that come to Cyprus. We are not aware of what has been stopped by Lebanon. They are also facing practical difficulties due to the events in Gaza and with the economic situation in the country, their capabilities are limited," the interior minister said.
