The examination of over 10,000 asylum applications from Syrian nationals has been put on hold for 21 months, while the measure by the government not to process asylum applications from Syrian nationals is pending developments over the next 15-20 days.
As reported to Phileleftheros, if irregular migrant arrivals continue over the next 15 days, the measures will be reviewed, as they will be deemed ineffective.
The director of the Minister of Interior’s office, Loizos Hadjivasiliou, told Phileftheros that the suspension measure for processing asylum applications will be accompanied by two equally important actions.
Firstly, the an increase in police checks on Syrian nationals who arrive irregularly and do not wish to stay in any of the Republic’s facilities. Secondly, the monitoring of illegal employment.
As Hadjivasiliou emphasised, when an employer is found to employ Syrian nationals illegally, the provision of the law to revoke their license to employ foreign labour should be activated.
This way, illegal employment is expected to be discouraged, and at the same time, if a Syrian national knows they will come to Cyprus and will not be employed, they will reconsider. Moreover, if an employer who legally employs five foreigners decides to employ a Syrian national illegally, they will lose their license for all.
At the moment, over 10,000 Syrian applications are pending examination, and after the government’s decision, their examination is now frozen.
The relevant EU office has already been informed of this decision.
Practically, as Hadjivasiliou explained, when a Syrian national arrives and applies for asylum, it will not be examined. This means that after nine months they will have access to work, and not immediately as before when applying for asylum automatically granted them temporary protection status.
Those who have already received the temporary protection status and are employed will not be affected.
With the new decisions, those who arrive will be transferred to Kofinou and Pournara. They will be provided with free food and accommodation in accordance with all international obligations.
They will not receive an allowance while their application is pending. Through a card provided to them, they can leave their accommodation and if they choose to stay outside the accommodation centres, they will have to declare an address which will be checked.
Hadjivasiliou pointed out that regular checks will be carried out by the Alien and Immigration Service to verify that they reside at the addresses they have declared.
“For nine months, they will not have the right to work, and this decision will be accompanied by the continuation of intensive checks carried out by the competent Ministry for illegal and undeclared work,” he said.
He emphasised that this measure is estimated to change the decisions of Syrian nationals regarding their arrival to Cyprus. “Syria’s status automatically gives them the right to supplementary protection. We are trying to ensure that some areas in Syria are designated as safe for their return,” he concluded.
In recent statements, Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou stated that, in compliance with legal procedures and in consultation with the European Commission, all decisions were taken to address the increased migration flows of Syrian nationals.
Ioannou added that based on the decision to suspend the examination of asylum applications of Syrian nationals, these individuals will not receive rent and food allowances, and their accommodation will be at the hosting centre in Pournara.
The Interior Minister stressed that if the situation with arrivals from Lebanon continues, the government has a management plan, with the implementation of additional measures.
At the same time, a package of economic support from the European Union to Lebanon is being prepared, which will be granted under conditions, such as the implementation of specific solutions to limit migration flows.
It was also decided, as the Minister notes, to immediately revoke the supplementary protection status or reject applications from individuals who have been proven to have travelled back to areas of Syria in the last 12 months through occupied territories.
These individuals will cease to have access to any rights derived from the temporary protection status, and actions will be taken for their repatriation either voluntarily or through compulsory deportation when and if this becomes possible.
A total of 3,703 irregular migrants arrived in Cyprus from January to April, while during the same period, 3,337 returned, according to the Ministry of Interior’s data.
No legal basis
Cyprus Refugee Council coordinator Corina Drousiotou told in-cyprus on Monday that there is no legal basis for excluding a specific nationality from asylum applications.
She explained that a similar measure was tried during the administration of Nicos Anastasiades, but failed to bring any results.
“This measure was also tried in 2022, during the previous government, and did not bring forward results, as it did not reduce the arrivals of Syrian nationals”.
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