Cyprus ranks first among EU member states in the ratio of migrant departures to arrivals in 2024, with a percentage of 179%, and the absolute number of departures from the country in the same year amounting to 10,941 people according to Minister of the Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, and Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides.
Ioannou and Ioannides presented in a press conference on Wednesday the government’s strategy on the subject, analysing the measures taken so far and the effect they had.
However, they noted that there is no room for complacency, as migration is a complex issue with international dimensions, primarily influenced by external factors.
The Interior Minister referred to the record number of 21,565 asylum applications recorded in 2022, as well as the large number, 17,280, of people who arrived in 2022, noting that 95% of them had entered the Republic of Cyprus through the Buffer Zone from Sub-Saharan African countries.
Ioannou emphasised that, at the same time, the number of residents at the Pournara Emergency Reception Centre for asylum seekers had exceeded 3,000, three times its capacity at the time.
He added that this situation “required a holistic intervention by the Government, and from the outset, a new strategy was adopted based on four central pillars and dozens of specific actions that addressed the issue on all levels”. He added that “the measures taken focused on reducing arrivals, speeding up the examination processes of applications, improving infrastructure, and increasing the number of returns”.
He further noted that all the measures taken resulted in reversing the negative image of migration, providing specific figures to support this. “We achieved our initial goal, reducing the number of asylum seekers by 69% between 2022 and 2024,” he said. “Specifically, the reduction in African applicants exceeded 85% compared to 2022, while the increased arrivals of Syrian nationals by sea, especially after the geopolitical developments in our neighbourhood, were effectively addressed with the decision to suspend the examination of applications, and since May, there have been no arrivals via the sea routes,” he added.
On his part, Ioannides, said that in 2024, 8,213 third-country nationals were repatriated through the voluntary return programme, compared to 4,636 individuals who used the programme in 2022.
“Since the beginning of our administration until December 31, 2024, a total of 18,055 third-country nationals have departed from the Republic of Cyprus,” he said, adding that this includes 977 individuals who left through the EURP (European Reintegration Programme) of FRONTEX and 2,348 nationals who left at their own expense. He added that, according to the Asylum Service, 2,517 individuals have been relocated to other EU member states. Ioannides further stated that in 2024, the departures, including deportations, voluntary returns, and relocations, totaled 10,941 people.
“In combination with the significant reduction in irregular arrivals and the restriction in the number of new asylum applications due to the measures taken by the Government, the Republic of Cyprus ranks first among EU member states in the ratio of departures to arrivals, with 179%,” the Deputy Minister emphasised.
Ioannides then referred to the situation with Syrian refugees following the fall of the Assad regime, noting that there is significant interest from Syrian nationals wishing to withdraw their application for international protection or revoke their refugee or supplementary protection status.
“Since December 9, 2024, we have had an average of 40 requests per day from Syrians to withdraw their application or revoke their status. Specifically, from December 9, 2024, to January 31, 2025, 1,367 Syrian nationals expressed their intention and desire to repatriate. As a result, 944 withdrew their applications for international protection, 11 renounced their refugee status, and 412 revoked the supplementary protection status granted to them. Of these, 755 have already departed from Cyprus,” he said.
He added that the number of residents at the Pournara centre was drastically reduced by 90%, from 3,145, which was the highest number of residents in 2022, to just 274, the lowest number of residents in 2024. He added that on December 31, 2024, the number of residents was 359.
( Source: CNA)
