Cyprus’ first Deputy Minister of Migration is set to be announced in the coming days.
Last week, the Cabinet made a precursory move towards appointing the country’s first Deputy Minister of Migration by activating a law passed by the House of Representatives on February 29.
The legislation included a provision stating that it would come into force upon activation by the government.
In line with the Cabinet’s decision, the law will take effect from June 17, allowing time for the House Financial Committee to approve a bill transferring the necessary funds to the Deputy Ministry to ensure its smooth operation.
The House of Representatives is currently in recess, awaiting the resumption of its work for the implementation of this critical legislation.
According to Phileleftheros, the President of the Republic was prepared to announce the appointee for the position of Deputy Minister of Migration last Friday.
However, this announcement will now be made this week, or as soon as the House approves the Deputy Ministry’s budget.
The newly established Deputy Ministry faces challenges, including managing the emerging situation of asylum seekers being stranded in camps within the UN-controlled buffer zone.
In statements to journalists on Tuesday, President Christodoulides cautioned that this will not become a new route for the descent of illegal immigrants, emphasising both the existing Green Line Regulations, as well as the obligations of the Republic of Cyprus.
“We saw yesterday, and it is something that I will also mention to the Ambassadors in our discussion, that they came from Afghanistan to Turkey and from Turkey to the occupied areas,” Christodoulides said.
“You understand that Turkey also has responsibilities for individuals coming from Syria and other countries.”
Asked about the stranded people in the buffer zone, Christodoulides told reporters “What I can say is that the Republic of Cyprus, and we have conveyed our readiness to the United Nations, is prepared to provide any necessary humanitarian assistance if the need arises”.
Migrants stranded in the buffer zone
Last week it was reported that twenty-seven migrants have been stranded in the buffer zone near the University of Cyprus campus in Aglantzia.
The Republic of Cyprus’s temporary suspension of asylum applications prevents their entry into government-controlled areas.
The stranded group includes women and children from Afghanistan, Sudan, Cameroon, and Iran.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are collaborating to assist them.
This year has seen a rise in migration across the Green Line from the occupied territories. In response, the government strengthened patrols along the buffer zone. Newly recruited officers conduct continuous patrols to deter migrant arrivals.
Furthermore, Cyprus suspended asylum applications for Syrian nationals.
The U.N. human rights office stated earlier this year that based on evidence it has gathered, Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing Syrian civil war are facing gross human rights violations such as torture and abduction on their return to Syria, while women are subject to sexual harassment and violence.
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