Constantinos Ioannou has rejected the previous government’s policy of erecting a fence along the divided island’s buffer zone to deter irregular migration from breakaway north Cyprus.
“There is no fence issue,” Ioannou told MPs on Monday, adding that this government follows different policies.
He was asked by a House Finance Committee member to give an update on the costly issue of the fence – something his predecessor was very keen about.
Ioannou explained that the measures implemented in recent months had paid off, recording the halving of migrant arrivals and an increase of more than 50% in departures.
“So, for us, there is no longer a fence issue…the policies we follow are different,” he also said.
On the financial management of the crucial issue of irregular migration, he pointed to the government’s decision to set up of a Deputy Ministry of Migration.
He also said that the time for processing asylum applications has been reduced from 21 months (which was required) to three months.
And that between March and October there was a 50 per cent reduction in asylum applications, which last year totaled up to 15,000.
In addition, the Minister noted that 9,300 foreigners had been returned to their countries of origin by October, compared to 5,800 in the same period last year.
And that a decrease of more than 75 per cent was recorded in terms of asylum seekers from African countries.
