Source: CNA
Minister of Interior Nicos Nouris called on the EU to demand that Turkey allow the presence of Frontex in their country to stop the mass flows of irregular migrants to the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus, who then cross to the government-controlled areas.
"We want Frontex to monitor the southern Turkish coasts, mainly the port of Mersin and Antalya, where the irregular flows come from, as well as Istanbul airport, in order to stem the flow of illegal migrants into the occupied territories (of Cyprus)", he noted.
For the fifth consecutive year, Cyprus is and continues to be the EU member state with the largest number of migrants by population.
In statements after a meeting, he held with a delegation of the Cyprus Green Party, Nouris said that only in the first quarter of 2022, nearly 5,000 newly arrived irregular immigrants had submitted asylum applications.
The Interior Minister stressed that it has been proven that the vast majority of those arriving from Africa via Istanbul, arrived at the illegal airport of Tympou (in the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus). Documents proving this fact were sent to the European Commission last week.
He added that any difficulties arising from the management of immigration flows in Cyprus are due to the large number of migrants that are coming in. For the fifth consecutive year, Cyprus is and continues to be the EU member state with the largest number of migrants by population.
Nouris said that the Cyprus authorities want to reduce this problem, citing Greece as an example, saying that it managed to drastically reduce migration flows within a year.
"We would like to see something similar happen in our own country so that we can help those people who are really in need in the right way," he went on to say.
Nouris also referred to the Ukrainian citizens coming to Cyprus, noting that these people are refugees who have been forcibly expelled from their country due to the Russian invasion.
