Press Releases

Dear fellow Ministers and friends,

Allow me first of all to thank my friend, Minister Notis Mitarakis, and the Greek government for the initiative and for the excellent hospitality and organization of this conference of the Mediterranean Interior and Migration Ministers.

Today each one of the frontline Member States, that we are facing the largest burden of the migration flows in the European Union, we had the opportunity to present the dimension of the problem in their country and their positions on the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum.

Unfortunately, for the 4th consecutive year, Cyprus has recorded an undesirable first.  We are the Member State with the most applications for asylum by proportion of population, with the number of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection now reaching 4% of our semi-occupied country.

Despite the significant support and help provided by the European Commission, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), Frontex and other related organisations, Cyprus faces on a daily basis large numbers of illegal arrivals of migrants, mainly through the ‘Green Line’, forwarded via our occupied areas departing from Turkey. A Turkey that continues to stubbornly refuse to recognize and cooperate with the Republic of Cyprus. For the period 2019-2020 alone, there were 25,894 new asylum applicants in Cyprus.

This organised and systematic Turkish provocative activity, must and ought to be answered decisively by the European Union at the forthcoming summit.

Today's message to Turkey as expressed through the Med5 joint statement is clear. Turkey is called to fully fulfill its obligations towards all the Member States, without any discrimination, terms, and conditions.

At the same time my country is called upon to manage an enormously disproportionate weight and manage these flows that create increased infrastructure needs.

No matter how much effort we make, whatever resources we make available, unless there is a coordinated, fair and balanced European migration policy based on solidarity and fair burden sharing, Cyprus as well as the rest of the frontline Member States will not be able to respond. Clearly, in such a case, the whole Union will be adversely affected as the 2015 crisis has showed.

Therefore, we have a clear challenge ahead of us. There is a need to reach an agreement on the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, that will allow all the Member States to be able to manage these increased migration flows.

In addition to our obligations to organize our services and infrastructure in the best possible way, the new Pact must include provision for:

• The European Commission’s centralised negotiations with third countries of the African continent, the Middle East and the near East countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to reach agreements for the return and readmission of their nationals.

The third countries with which such agreements will be reached should commit themselves to respecting all Member States, with the imposition of penalties for non-compliance.

• At the same time Turkey must and ought to honour its own obligations on the basis of the 2016 Statement. For Cyprus in particular, Turkey must cooperate and accept surveillance by Frontex of its southern coastal areas from which boats loaded with illegal immigrants are launched daily.
• As regards the issues of solidarity and responsibility, it is evident that the dialogue seems that it needs to continue due to the significant disagreements recorded mainly from countries that do not accept reciprocity. It is our position that the pact should not be allowed to stall because of this parameter. Interim solutions, such as the return sponsorship tool should be promoted. 
• Finally, Cyprus claims the application of its right to exercise effective surveillance of the green line, which stems from the relevant Regulation, but without this being recognised as the country’s border, since it concerns the ceasefire line.

Dear Friends,

Cyprus remains firmly committed to reaching an agreement that will be beneficial to all Member States. The experience of 2015 suggests that this option is a one-way street. We, therefore, want a Pact, that in addition to what has been mentioned, should be distinguished by the possibility of covering some of the particularities of the Member States.

That is why the new Pact, among other things, must be flexible with possibilities for tailor-made solutions to the needs of the Member States.

Finally, I believe that today’s meeting was one of the most constructive. Many thanks to Notis for the initiative. I also thank the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Vice-President Schinas for their targeted speeches, as well as my fellow Ministers, Luciana, Fernando and Byron.

I am sure that the coordination between us will give new strength to the voices of the frontline Member States, and that together we will succeed in achieving a fair result for our citizens, as well as for the EU in general. 

I wish you all the best and a safe return home.