Filenews 12 May 2025 - by Angelos Nicolaou
A game-changing development in dealing with migration flows to Cyprus has been recorded in recent days, as the Syrian government has agreed to take back migrants who attempted to reach the island for illegal employment. This new stance of Damascus is the result of consultations between Nicosia and Damascus and demonstrates a new dynamic of cooperation between the two countries.
According to information from "F", two boats with a total of 62 Syrian migrants on board (34 in the first and 28 in the second) were spotted on Friday and Saturday by the Port Police heading towards the Cypriot coast. The two boats were intercepted in time before the occupants attempted – as usual – to sink them, hoping to be rescued by the Cypriot authorities and enter the territory of the Republic.
Instead of the usual practice of transporting migrants to Cypriot ports, the channel of cooperation with the Syrian authorities was activated for the first time, which accepted the return of the migrants and picked them up at the port of Tartus – the second most important in the country. A key element of this development is that Syria is now considered a safe destination, which allows its citizens to return.
The Syrian authorities have reportedly assured that the migrants will not be prosecuted for attempting to escape. On the contrary, the traffickers behind the organised transport of people will face justice. It is recalled that each person pays between 4,000 and 7,000 dollars for their transportation to Cyprus, which makes the project particularly attractive for the smuggling circuits and dangerous for the migrants themselves.
It is noteworthy that many of the immigrants know in advance the employer who will employ them illegally in Cyprus, a fact that demonstrates the existence of a well-organized circuit. The favourable weather conditions of this period further favour attempts to enter the island illegally.
Syria's new stance is part of interim President Ahmed al-Saraa's strategy to upgrade his country's image internationally, seeking the lifting of sanctions imposed against the Assad regime. The decision to respect human rights and cooperate with the EU is part of Syria's effort to return to normality and international acceptance.
The Republic of Cyprus is closely monitoring the developments and is using this new cooperation as a means of limiting migration flows, while protecting the rule of law and preventing illegal employment.
