€190 million FROM THE EU FOR MIGRATION MANAGEMENT - AS SOON AS HARMONIZATION BILL IS APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT - Filenews 15/4 by Vassos Vassiliou
A breath away from the collection of €190 million. from the EU is the Republic of Cyprus for migration management, which will be locked on April 23 with the approval of the harmonizing bill (on the Refugee Law) by the plenary session of the Parliament.
The bill is expected to be approved in view of the fact that on April 23 the Parliament will meet for the last time (before its self-dissolution) but also given that its implementation by the member states is set for June 12.
Reference was also made to the issue of funding, with Mr. Ioannidis pointing out that more than 60% of the cost of migration is co-financed by the European Union, while the upgrade and construction of the accommodation centers is co-financed by 90-100%. At the same time, he noted that Cyprus will benefit from the solidarity mechanism, with relocations of asylum seekers to other member states, financial support and technical assistance from the European Commission.
As the Deputy Minister of Migration Nikolas Ioannidis explained before the parliamentary Committee on Interior, more than 60% of the cost of immigration is co-financed by the European Union, while the upgrading and construction of the accommodation centers is co-financed by 90-100%. He also said that Cyprus will benefit from the solidarity mechanism, with relocations of asylum seekers to other member states, financial support and technical assistance from the European Commission.
During the article-by-article discussion of the bill, Mr. Ioannidis clarified that juvenile foreigners who are detained will stay in juvenile prisons away from adults and those convicted of criminal offenses.
The Deputy Minister described the legislation as "very critical, it is of fundamental importance, given that it incorporates into the Cypriot legal order the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which comes into force on 12/06/2026".
He also stressed that the Republic of Cyprus must be ready by then to implement the new framework.
As he explained, the promoted legislation provides, among other things, for stricter border controls, faster asylum procedures and in general a comprehensive, unified and coherent framework for migration, so that the European Union can respond effectively and not be caught off guard, as happened 10 years ago.
In addition, it will help to avoid mass flows and allow for the acceleration of asylum procedures and an increase in returns.
The chairman of the Interior Committee, Aristos Damianou, stated that there are binding regulations at the level of the European Union and the implementation in the Republic of Cyprus was examined."
DIPA MP Giorgos Penintaex said that the member states do not have discretion to deviate, but must proceed with their implementation at the national level.
