The Council of Ministers has decided to remove the barbed wire fence installed along the Green Line, the de facto border between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish-controlled northern part of the island.
The decision, made last Wednesday, came following a proposal by Deputy Minister of Migration Nicholas Ioannides and was based on a police report evaluating the measure’s effectiveness.
The fence had been erected in 2020 by the previous government claiming that it would deter migrant crossings.
Ioannides confirmed the decision to philenews, stating that according to the police report, the fence did not appear to have significantly reduced migrant flows. The report notes that irregular migration has dropped by 90%, primarily due to stricter measures at crossing points from the occupied north.
The government also took into account the complaints from local residents who were inconvenienced by its presence.
Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis told philenews that following the fence’s removal, there will be increased surveillance of the area through patrols and camera monitoring.
The fence, unofficially known as the “Nouris fence” after the minister who oversaw its installation, will be replaced with increased patrols along the Green Line.
The fence’s presence has created an informal “third border” beyond the Green Line and buffer zone, raising political concerns.
In a separate development, 70 migrants are currently stranded in the buffer zone after crossing from the occupied areas. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has established a camp, while Cypriot authorities provide some supplies.
President Christodoulides has publicly disagreed with the UN over Cyprus’ obligations in this matter. The government maintains it is upholding its international, national, and EU commitments while preventing the buffer zone from becoming a migration route.
Cypriot officials are seeking UNHCR mediation with Turkey to potentially repatriate some migrants, with Cyprus willing to accept the remainder.
Negotiations are ongoing, with a response from Turkey’s Permanent Mission in Geneva awaited.
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