Cyprus is increasing security along the buffer zone to stop migrants from arriving. Officials explained on Wednesday that these measures are in response to more migrants coming from Turkey through the northern part of the island.
This announcement comes at a time of escalating tensions with the United Nations over Cyprus’s handling of the migrant crisis. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has criticized the living conditions in buffer zone camps, which has prompted a strong response from Cypriot officials. Lampros Kaoullas, Director of the Deputy Ministry of Migration’s Office, emphasized that Cyprus has been providing humanitarian aid and medical care from the start but stressed that the government’s policy is focused on preventing the establishment of irregular migrant routes.
Currently, 44 migrants are living in tents in the buffer zone near Avlona, and another 29 are stranded in Aglantzia, behind the University of Cyprus. Deputy Minister of Migration Nicholas Ioannides is scheduled to visit Avlona on Thursday to address the concerns of local residents.
International organizations have accused Cyprus of violating international law by pushing asylum seekers back to the buffer zone, effectively denying them access to proper asylum procedures. Both the UNHCR and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) claim that the Republic of Cyprus is engaging in these pushbacks, with reports that migrants arriving in Pournara are being rounded up by police and transported to the buffer zone.
In response, Lampros Kaoullas insisted that Cyprus is acting within the law, citing the Green Line Regulation, which mandates that the Green Line is a ceasefire line and not a recognized border. He emphasized that Cyprus will not allow the creation of irregular migrant routes and is therefore increasing surveillance along the line.
Kaoullas further argued that Turkey, as a safe country, has an obligation to provide access to asylum procedures for migrants within its territory, as per its international legal obligations and agreements with the EU. He suggested that the recommendations of international organizations should be directed at Turkey rather than Cyprus, which he claimed is operating lawfully.
Kaoullas concluded by expressing Cyprus’s commitment to finding a solution to the migrant crisis through ongoing dialogue with the UNHCR.