Deputy Minister for Migration Nicholas Ioannides said Thursday that migrants who have been living for months in the UN buffer zone will be relocated within the next two or three weeks.
Speaking after a House Interior Committee meeting, Ioannides indicated that some countries have shown willingness to accept a number of these individuals, though he did not specify which nations.
“We do not want temporary camps in the buffer zone”, Ioannides said, describing the situation as problematic and requiring resolution.
The minister emphasised that the Republic of Cyprus would not bear responsibility for what he called Turkey’s oversights, stating that the migrants had reportedly travelled to the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus via flights or ships from Turkey.
“We are seeing a pattern that demonstrates our neighbouring country’s responsibilities”, Ioannides said, adding that Cyprus cannot shoulder the consequences of a country failing to meet its international obligations.
The minister also announced plans to remove barbed wire previously installed along the buffer zone. The removal work is set to begin in the coming days, with the materials to be repurposed for National Guard or other state requirements.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has criticised Cypriot authorities for pushing back asylum seekers to the UN buffer zone, despite repeated objections.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in June also accused Cypriot authorities of pushing back people to the buffer zone after they entered the Pournara reception centre to apply for asylum.
Read more:
