Source: CNA
In 2022, 7.5 thousand third-country nationals who had been living illegally in the Republic of Cyprus were deported, and 38 more people were deported on January 24.
According to a written statement from the Communication Branch of the Police Headquarters, "the Cyprus Police organized a joint forced return flight of third-country nationals who were illegally residing in the Republic of Cyprus in cooperation with the Greek Police and under the coordination of the European Border Guard and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)".
On the evening of January 24, 2023, a Frontex aircraft chartered from Athens made a stopover in Larnaca, where 38 illegally staying migrants boarded. The operation was coordinated by the Aliens and Immigration Service, members of which, with the assistance of other police departments and members of the Frontex Permanent Corps, escorted the migrants to their countries of origin".
It added that "on the instructions of the Chief of Police, the Aliens and Immigration Service continues to focus its efforts on maximising the number of returns and since the beginning of the year 107 persons have already been deported, while another 360 persons who were illegally residing in the Republic have been voluntarily returned".
