As of Tuesday, most of asylum seekers benefits’ bureaucracy and paperwork will be carried out on location at the Pournara first reception camp and not at Lakatamia suburb’s welfare office.
The decision followed Monday’s fresh disturbances outside the welfare office that have prompted the furore of the area’s residents.
In fact, deputy minister of social welfare Anastasia Anthousi was told by the Lakatamia mayor that they would take legal action against the state if the increasing problem with asylum seekers was not solved.
Anthousi who had paid an on the spot visit acknowledged residents’ complaints that the situation has become unacceptable. And that a police presence in the area is needed to restore order when there are disturbances, which are frequent.
Tuesday’s move sees welfare department staff transferred to Pournara to handle requests on site – so that applications could be registered there directly.
At the same time, Anthousi sent the message that some steps in the application process had become digitalised and simplified, removing some requirements for the asylum seekers entirely.
Cyprus has been flooded with irregular migrants over the years with the divided island finding it hard to cope with asylum seeking applications as well as their living conditions.
