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91. Italy's cry for help: Facing a migrant surge amid EU discord

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has appealed for greater European support as her country confronts a surge of people fleeing north Africa, amid growing tensions between Rome and other EU capitals over migration policy....

92. Debate rages over Cyprus' efforts to deter migration through benefit cuts

A discussion about the benefits for asylum seekers has arisen recently due to violent and racist incidents in Chloraka and Limassol last week....

93. In a historic first, asylum applications drop by 51%

Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou announced today that, for the first time in Cyprus' immigrant history, there has been a shift in the balance between migrant arrivals and departures....

94. Cyprus sees sharp drop in asylum applications

Cyprus has witnessed a significant decline in new asylum applications from non-EU countries, according to recently released data from Eurostat, the EU's statistical service....

95. Chloraka complex ''Agios Nikolaos'' shut down as President tightens security

In response to recent incidents, President Nicos Christodoulides convened a meeting at the Presidential Palace to address the situation in Chloraka. ...

96. Sunny days ahead

A stretch of clear, sunny weather is on the horizon for the upcoming days, as a seasonal low-pressure system continues to influence the area. While a few coastal areas might see some initial thin cloud cover, overall, the skies are expected to remain mostly clear. ...

97. Cyprus enhances migration management with new facilities

Cyprus took a significant step in enhancing its capacity to manage migration pressures by signing a contract for the construction of a reception center for around 1,000 people and a pre-departure center for approximately 800 people. ...

98. USA: NYC grapples with migrant crisis as hundreds sleep outside Roosevelt Hotel

Hundreds of migrants have been sleeping outside of Manhattan's Roosevelt Hotel for a second day in a row - as NYC Mayor Eric Adams said the crisis is 'not over.'...

99. Interior Minister says barbed wire plan 'impractical and politically risky'

In a recent statement, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou deemed the idea of placing barbed wire along the Green Line to handle migrant flows as practically impossible and politically dangerous. ...

100. Varosha's haunting appeal to tourists

Few places in the world can claim to have been favored by both Hollywood actors such as Elizabeth Taylor and thrill seekers under very different circumstances. ...

101. Interior Ministry implements stricter measures for new asylum seekers

The Interior Ministry of Cyprus announced on Wednesday that international protection applicants who have arrived in the Republic of Cyprus from January 1, 2023, onwards will not be considered eligible candidates for the voluntary relocation program....

102. More asylum seekers relocated to France

On July 12, 2023, another group of asylum seekers, totaling 51 individuals, was voluntarily relocated from the Republic of Cyprus to France. The relocation was carried out through the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Interior, ...

103. Asylum seeker trends: Declining numbers and shifting origins

According to data obtained by "K" from the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior, the top five countries of origin for asylum seekers and the number of applications received in June 2023 are as follows:...

104. Migrant reception center in Kofinou inaugurated today

The inauguration of the first phase of construction works at the International Protection Applicant Reception Center in Kofinou, upgraded with the support of the European Asylum Agency (EUAA), took place today, conducted by the Minister of Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, along with Nina Gregory, the Executive Director of EUAA, and Beate Gminder, Deputy Director-General in the Directorate-General for Internal Affairs of the EU....

105. Asylum seeker returns to exceed 4,300

Returns of asylum seekers so far in 2023 have exceeded 4,370 and are significantly higher compared to last year when they were 2,353, the Minister of Internal Affairs Constantinos Ioannou has said....

106. Media and UNHCR collaborate to foster a welcoming environment for refugees

During a meeting held on World Refugee Day, the Cyprus Media Ethics Committee, the Union of Cyprus Journalists, and the UNHCR Country Office in Cyprus gathered at the Journalist House in Nicosia to discuss...

107. Ex ‘superminister’ defends proposal after boat disaster

A Cypriot former minister known for his tough stance on migration wants a yay or nay on his proposal where asylum applications could be filed abroad, a measure not supported by some capitals including Berlin, which may be having second thoughts in the aftermath of a boat disaster in Greece...

108. Visa fraud scandal widens after airport arrest

Cyprus Police made headway in an investigation into visa fraud over the weekend, following an airport arrest in connection with an illegal network where Syrians rejected for refugee status ended up paying middlemen for subsidiary protection...

109. Cablenet: The Fastest Growing Mobile Network

110. US hails Cyprus for its efforts in combating human trafficking

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has been recognized for its serious and sustained efforts in combating human trafficking, according to the annual report released by the U.S. State Department. ...

111. Questions emerge after deadly migrant boat incident

Questions emerged about a fishing boat carrying hundreds of migrants that sank Wednesday off the coast of Greece, with new reports adding to confusion over the approach towards the trawler by Greek authorities...

112. Cyprus takes a stand for solidarity in EU immigration reform

Minister of Interior Konstantinos Ioannou announced on Friday that Cyprus views the establishment of a mandatory solidarity mechanism as a significant development for the country....

113. Minister highlights progress in migration management efforts

During a recent press conference on migration, Constantinos Ioannou, the Minister of Interior, discussed the current state of asylum applications and the return of irregular migrants to their countries of origin between March and May 2023. He emphasized the government's policies and measures to address these challenges....

114. Strong occupancy rates over long weekend translates into thriving leisure sector

Occupancy in leisure businesses throughout Cyprus ranged from 75% to 80% during the Pentecost long weekend, known in Cyprus as Kataklysmos (Inundation), according to the Federation of Recreation Centres (OSIKA)....

115. Christodoulides calls island’s division a European problem

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for 'political courage' in Cyprus peace talks during a visit to Berlin by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who said the island’s division was a 'European problem' and Brussels could lead the way to a solution...

116. Health Ministry reports 10 deaths and over 2000 cases of covid

Ten deaths were announced by the Ministry of Health between April 21 to May 4 due to COVID-19 as well as 2.404 new cases....

117. Romanians protest for Schengen accession

Hundreds of Romanians participated in the protest organized in Brussels by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party to stop treating Romanians as second-class European citizens....

118. Green Line border agents get ready for action

Over two hundred Green Line border agents will report on duty later this month on the Greek Cypriot side of the UN buffer zone, but the newly-hired sergeants will only focus on irregular migrants, leaving drug trafficking and other crimes off the agenda...

119. Decline in asylum approvals in Cyprus in 2022

According to data from Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU, EU countries granted protection status to 384,245 asylum seekers in 2022, up 40% from the previous year. However, in Cyprus, there was a significant decrease in protection status, with only 580 cases being granted (compared to 2,305 in 2021)....

120. 'The goal is 1,000 voluntary returns per month,' says Ioannou

The government of Cyprus has outlined a four-pillar plan to address immigration issues, according to Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou. The first pillar is to limit the flow of asylum seekers entering Cyprus, followed by managing asylum applications and reception areas more efficiently....