The Pournara First Reception Centre is facing pressure following a recent surge in migrant arrivals, officials reported today.
The recent arrivals of migrants, including 271 Syrians who reached Cape Greco by boat two days ago, has increased the centre’s population to 1,182.
Sources said that the centre is witnessing its highest occupancy since last year.
According to philenews, in light of the ongoing crisis in Syria, Cypriot asylum services are granting Syrian nationals temporary protection, allowing them temporary residence in Cyprus without the obligation of providing housing. Syrians are free to choose their residence after applying for relevant allowances.
Historically, the Pournara Centre has accommodated over 2,500 individuals during peak migration periods.
Philenews has learnt from sources that today’s National Security Council meeting at the Presidential Palace has resulted in key decisions, including urging the European Union to leverage financial aid to encourage Lebanon to contain Syrian refugees within its borders. This approach mirrors recent EU financial support to Egypt for similar reasons.
Furthermore, the Cypriot government aims to intensify dialogue with EU bodies to reclassify certain regions in Syria from ‘unsafe’ to ‘safe’, facilitating the potential repatriation of refugees.
Increased patrols are planned off the Lebanese coast, but effective deterrence of departures requires substantial measures by Lebanese authorities, sources said.
The Ministry of Interior said that relocating Syrians to other EU countries is not a viable long-term solution, nor is forcing boats to return to Lebanon due to the associated life-threatening risks.
The resolution of this issue is anticipated to come from concerted efforts in Brussels and cooperation with Lebanese authorities.
However, diplomatic engagements with Lebanon, including a recent visit by Cypriot Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kompos, have so far not resulted in significant progress.
Amidst the escalating situation due to the Gaza conflict, an increasing number of Syrians are reportedly leaving Lebanon, with favourable weather conditions exacerbating the trend.
(File Photo- Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters)
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