Cyprus has announced plans to join a coalition of European Union countries advocating for the establishment of safe zones in Syria to facilitate the return of refugees who fled the conflict. This initiative comes as Cyprus faces an influx of migrants, with over 1,000 people, primarily Syrians, arriving on its shores from Lebanon since April. The proposal, supported by at least eight EU countries, aims to redefine Syria’s status in certain areas to manage the migrant crisis effectively.
Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou emphasized the urgency for the EU to reconsider its stance after 13 years of Syrian conflict. While acknowledging that stability in Syria has not been fully restored, Ioannou highlighted the need to expedite measures to create conditions conducive to the return of refugees. Cyprus, the EU member state closest to Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey, hosted a conference to discuss this proposal with Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Poland.
This development follows the recent approval of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which seeks to tighten immigration controls across Europe. The eight countries are part of a larger group of 15 EU member states advocating for innovative solutions to the migration issue, including the transfer of migrants to third countries.
The surge in migrant arrivals has led Cyprus to enhance its maritime patrols and temporarily halt the processing of Syrian asylum applications, denying benefits and welfare services to new arrivals. Ioannou also called for increased financial support for Lebanon, a transit country for many migrants heading to Cyprus. Lebanon is grappling with an economic crisis and regional instability, hosting around two million Syrian refugees, which strains its resources.
The Cypriot government has ramped up deportations of failed asylum seekers, expelling 3,337 migrants in the first four months of 2024 compared to 2,348 in the same period in 2023. These deportations include forced expulsions, voluntary returns, and relocations of nationals from North African, sub-Saharan African countries, Bangladesh, and Egypt. However, Syrian nationals, like Afghans, are currently exempt from such expulsions due to ongoing political instability in their home countries.
As of September 2023, nearly 27,000 asylum seekers were awaiting decisions on their applications in Cyprus, making it the EU member state with the highest per capita rate of people seeking protection. The EU has pledged 1 billion euros in aid to Lebanon to support its socio-economic stability and enhance cooperation in combating illegal immigration to Europe.