EU partners bracing for Interior Minister's warning on refugee flows

Cyprus Minister of the Interior will express to his EU counterparts the deep worry about the possibility of increased flows of refugees from the conflict areas in the Eastern Mediterranean to the EU countries and particularly the frontline member states.

According to a press release by the Ministry of the Interior, Minister of the Interior Constantinos Ioannou will participate in the EU Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs, which will take place 19-20 October in Luxembourg.

The Ministers will discuss asylum and immigration issues, focusing on the external dimension of immigration and the progress of the negotiations with the European Parliament to reach an agreement on the Migration and Asylum Pact.

The Minister of the Interior will stress the need for a substantial upgrade of the EU's relations with third countries in the European neighborhood, to give them the necessary financial and technical support so as to form a strong protection network.

In the light of the recent geopolitical developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Ioannou will convey to his counterparts the strong concern that the Union, and especially the frontline member states, could be faced with increased flows of refugees from the conflict region, in addition to the already heavy pressures it is under due to flows from Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. For this reason, all necessary actions should be taken at the EU level to ensure the adequacy of resources and infrastructure for the possible reception and hosting of refugees from Palestine, the press release says.

Regarding the Migration and Asylum Pact, the Minister of the Interior is expected to express Cyprus' position on the need for a joint management of immigration and equal distribution of burden. Despite the agreement at the diplomatic level, the Cypriot Minister will underline the importance of the EU proceeding swiftly to reach a common management framework with a balanced approach, in the light of the geopolitical developments in the last days, the press release concludes.