Cyprus requests FRONTEX assistance to limit migrant flows through Green Line

The Interior Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Costas Constantinou, has requested the assistance of FRONTEX to limit the flow of irregular migrants from Turkey to Cyprus through the Green Line.

He was addressing the informal Ministerial Meeting of the MED5 (Greece, Italy, Spain, Malta and Cyprus), which took place in Valletta, Malta, on 3 and 4 March. A joint communiqué signed by participants also included the Green Line issue.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Interior, Constantinou had the opportunity to provide information on the migration situation in Cyprus and, in particular, in relation to the arrival of irregular migrants from Turkey through the Green Line, the efforts made by the country to manage migration flows, and the actions taken to increase the number of returns of irregular migrants to their countries of origin.

He asked the new Executive Director of FRONTEX to assist in Cyprus' efforts to limit these flows, which mainly come from Istanbul airport, Turkey, and through the buffer zone to the government-controlled areas of the Republic. He also referred to the problems Cyprus has been facing in implementing the relocation programme for international protection applicants from Cyprus to other member states of the European Union.

This is the MED5’s fifth meeting in a row, the previous one having been held in Cyprus last October.

It was divided into four thematic sections, the first dealing with the external dimension of migration and return procedures, during which the necessity of cooperation with third countries - countries of origin was stressed in order to prevent irregular arrivals, as well as to increase the chances of returning to the country of origin of persons whose applications for international protection have been rejected or who continue to remain in the country without a valid residence permit.

The second issue, according to the Ministry, concerned asylum and migration in general, in the context of the Solidarity Pact agreed between the member states. It was noted that all countries expressed their disappointment with the Resettlement Mechanism, as the effective assistance ultimately offered to frontline countries is either very limited, while the administrative costs are a multiple of the benefits received.

It was also re-emphasised that a permanent and compulsory relocation mechanism should be established, so that there is a real sharing of responsibility and obligations between Member States.

The third theme included a discussion on return support operations and the role of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) in particular, followed by a briefing by the newly appointed FRONTEX Executive Director, while in the fourth theme the Spanish Interior Minister presented the priorities of the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU on Home Affairs Council issues.

At the end of the meeting, the five representatives of the MED5 group signed a joint communiqué, restating their positions on the external dimension of migration, the returns and the resettlement mechanism, as expressed during the preceding discussion, making specific reference to important issues concerning Cyprus, including a specific reference to adequately address the issues concerning the "Green Line" due to the particularities that apply, despite the fact that it is not an external border crossing point, the statement concludes.

(Source: CNA)