Cyprus recorded the highest ratio of refugee departures and arrivals among EU member states in 2024, at 179 percent.
According to data released at a press conference by Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou and Deputy Immigration Minister Nicolas Ioannides, a total of 10,941 people left the country in the same year.
The officials outlined in detail the government’s migration strategy aimed at changing the previously negative image of Cyprus in migration management. However, they warned that the problem remains complex and depends on external factors.
Ioannou noted that Cyprus, like other EU Eastern Mediterranean countries, is facing extreme pressure from illegal migration. He pointed to a record 21,565 asylum applications and 17,280 arrivals in 2022, with 95 percent of migrants entering through the Green Line from African countries.
Overcrowding at the Purnara refugee reception center, which at one point housed more than 3,000 residents (three times its capacity), further exacerbated the crisis. In response, the Government has adopted a strategy focused on four key areas: reducing the number of arrivals, speeding up the processing of asylum applications, improving infrastructure, and increasing the number of deportations and voluntary returns.
To limit arrivals, diplomatic efforts with Turkey have focused on improving checks at Istanbul Airport to prevent transit visas to the north, from where migrants were crossing the buffer zone. The Government has also launched awareness-raising campaigns in Africa to curb illegal migration. Workplace checks have been stepped up internally and benefits for rejected applicants have been immediately terminated.
The processing time for asylum applications has been significantly reduced, dropping from 12-24 months to just one to three months. Meanwhile, voluntary return schemes have been revised to include financial incentives ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 euros per person.
Ioannou stressed that more migrants are leaving Cyprus than are arriving for the first time in history. He noted that 8,213 third-country nationals returned voluntarily in 2024, compared with 4,636 in 2022. Since the beginning of the government of Christodoulides and until the end of 2024, a total of 18055 third-country nationals have left the country.
EU officials praised Cyprus’ return policy, and European Commissioner Ylva Johansson and the Vice President of the European Commission praised the island’s efforts as a model for other EU states.
The Deputy Minister also reported on the growing interest of Syrian citizens in revoking applications for asylum or renouncing refugee status. Since December 9, 2024, an average of 40 Syrians a day have requested permission to return home, and 755 have already left.
Ioannides expected that the number of returnees would increase even more if stability in Syria improved. However, he stressed that forced return remains impossible without an EU-level consensus on security conditions in Syria.
The number of asylum applications decreased by 69 percent between 2022 and 2024, with applications from African citizens falling by more than 85 percent. The number of irregular maritime arrivals, mainly from Syria, has also dropped to zero since May 2024 due to the new government policy.
The population of the Purnara center has decreased by 90 percent, from a peak of 3,145 in 2022 to just 274 in 2024. It is expected that the completion of the new pre-deportation center with a capacity of 1,000 people will further support migration control measures.
Noting the success of the government, Ioannou warned that constant vigilance is essential. The goal, he said, is not only to reduce the number, but also to ensure a sustainable and effective asylum system that serves those who truly need protection.
A source: cyprus-mail.com
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/kipre-rekordno-sokratilos-kolichestvo-prositelej
