Cyprus is demanding that components of Syria be designated protected sufficient to return potential Syrian asylum seekers, an assertion that the island-nation has been urgent for months.
“The time has come to collectively open the dialogue for the revaluation of the state of affairs of Syria,” Constantinos Ioannou, the inside minister of Cyprus, instructed reporters on Tuesday (9 January).
Given its geographical proximity, he stated Cyprus is receiving a disproportionate variety of irregular migrants from Syria.
Practically all seaborne arrivals in Cyprus final 12 months got here from Syria. Cyprus dealt with round 10,600 asylum functions final 12 months, down from round 21,500 in 2022.
It additionally repatriated proportionally greater than different EU state. Some 11,000 folks had been returned final 12 months, greater than double the quantity in 2022. Most had been voluntary returns.
“The truth that throughout 2023, we had a 116 % return arrival charge is exceptional, particularly making an allowance for the state of affairs in the remainder of Europe,” stated Ioannou.
It is usually not the primary time he instructed Syria be designated as protected for refugees, having made comparable feedback in an interview with Reuters information company final December.
He stated two Syrian governates — Damascus and Tartous pose no actual danger of indiscriminate violence, citing a report by the European Union Company for Asylum (EUAA).
Nevertheless, the Malta-based company, additionally stated that individuals being returned to Damascus might nonetheless be susceptible to persecution.
And it stated that sending folks to Damascus might solely be executed “in distinctive circumstances,” noting they would wish vital monetary means or a robust help community.
Ioannou additionally floated the concept in September after the United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Türk warned of worsening safety in Syria as a result of preventing within the nation’s northeast.
Syria stays the biggest displacement disaster on this planet with over 12 million Syrians displaced within the area, based on the UN refugee company (UNHCR).
And the UN company says over 750,000 Syrian refugees are projected to be in want of resettlement over the following 12 months.
Ioannou’s most up-to-date remarks on Syria on Tuesday had been made alongside the EU’s dwelling affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson.
Johansson didn’t particularly handle the difficulty on Syria and security for refugees, however issued different warnings.
As an alternative, she framed that warfare between Israel and Hamas as a risk, noting that efforts are wanted to counter new and rising migratory routes “from Lebanon or possibly Syria into Cyprus.”
Cyprus acquired over €23m in emergency EU funding for immigration final 12 months.
