Filenews 6 February 2026
Preventing and combating migrant smuggling is a daily operational challenge, Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Nicolas Ioannidis said on Thursday, speaking at the 18th Meeting of Europol's Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JCCG).
The Deputy Minister stated that with the measures taken by the government, irregular arrivals and asylum applications have decreased sharply compared to previous years, while pending asylum applications have decreased.
He stressed that "we will continue this effort at both local and European level during our Presidency, together with the Commission, Member States and EU agencies, including Europol".
In recent years, he noted, people seeking international protection have made up a remarkable part of our population, well above the EU average, putting real pressure on our reception capacity, our public services and our communities.
At the same time, he stressed, Cyprus faces a unique challenge, the occupation of the northern part of the island by Turkey and the existence of the Green Line, which is not a border but should be monitored in accordance with the Green Line Regulation. This creates, he explained, a complex operational environment where we must protect security and public order, while respecting our obligations in relation to human rights.
That is why, he said, the Government has drawn up a comprehensive strategy for the effective response to migration, adding that the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection marked a turning point, as it allowed us to set clear priorities, coordinate more effectively between services and implement a coherent strategy for migration.
"From the beginning, our approach was rigorous, practical. We focused on three objectives: reducing irregular flows, reducing pending asylum applications and increasing returns. These objectives are closely linked to today's debate, given that networks thrive when routes are unprotected, procedures are slow and the system is unable to enforce decisions," he stressed.
The Deputy Minister said that Cyprus has emphasized the issue of routes, has improved surveillance at sea and along the Green Line in accordance with international law, has intensified action against networks, has accelerated asylum procedures, fully respecting rights and due process and has invested in returns.
He noted that the results are clear that irregular arrivals and asylum applications have decreased sharply compared to previous years, while pending asylum applications have decreased.
Cyprus, he continued, did not achieve these results alone and referred to the support of the European Union and especially Europol. The Deputy Minister stated that Cyprus welcomes and also supports the European Commission's goal to strengthen Europol's mandate.
Referring to the upcoming EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, he said that it reflects Cyprus' approach, i.e. stricter border controls and faster asylum procedures.
"The timely implementation of the Pact is an important goal that we must achieve in order to deal with migration in a coherent and effective way," he pointed out.
He said that the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union considers migration a common European responsibility and that our priorities include promoting the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, strengthening the external dimension through partnerships, improving the effectiveness of returns and supporting strong action against networks.
"We have worked hard to ensure that the European framework is not only ambitious on paper, but also operationally effective in practice," he concluded.
CNA
