The Commissioner for Administration, Maria Stylianou-Lottides, has ignited a firestorm within the Asylum Service after a scathing report revealed significant delays in processing international protection applications from Syrian refugees. The report, prompted by a surge of complaints from frustrated applicants, exposes a bureaucratic nightmare with some Syrians waiting two to five years for a decision … Read more
The number of irregular migrant arrivals in Cyprus has significantly decreased following the suspension of asylum applications for Syrian nationals.
– The opposition proceedings in the case brought against auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides by attorney-general George Savvides were filed by Odysseas’ team of lawyers.
– The opposition is based on two points: the application of the AG to the constitutional council is groundless and the AG does not have the authority to seek the sacking of an independent state official.
– Odysseas’ camp is applying pressure on the president to publicly side with him.
– The head of the anti-corruption authority demanded criminal charges against the drug squad chief, possibly linked to the Odysseas-Savvides clash.
– Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah urged Syrians to head for Cyprus and Europe to pressure Brussels to give Lebanon more funds for Syrian refugees.
– Parents were upset over the difficulty of questions in modern Greek exams for secondary school students.
– State hospital nursing unions are threatening industrial action if more nurses are not hired.
– The president announced the decision to appoint two criminal investigators before the cabinet approved it.
The European Union unveiled a €1 billion economic aid package for Lebanon in exchange for the country slowing migration flows, especially amid a sharp rise in Syrian refugees headed to Cyprus and Italy.
President Nikos Christodoulides described Thursday’s visit to Lebanon with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen as a “historic day.” Von der Leyen announced a financial package of €1 billion over the next three years to strengthen Lebanon politically and economically, with a focus on controlling migration. The Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the EU to come up with a “radical” solution for the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon. Despite the optimistic declarations, it is doubtful that the understanding reached would have the desired results.
Fifteen Syrian irregular migrants arrived in the border region of Tylliria, crossing from occupied Limnitis to the free areas and Kato Pyrgos. They were spotted by a police patrol and consisted of nine men, four women, and two children aged eight. They will be taken to the Pournara migrant accommodation center in Kokkinotrimithia by bus.
The 2023 US country report on human rights in Cyprus raised serious concerns over life-threatening conditions in prison in the north.
Three people from Syria were involved in incidents in Nicosia, resulting in three of them being hospitalized. Two young men, aged 18 and 22, were taken to Nicosia General Hospital with injuries. The 18-year-old had a chest wound and was kept for treatment, while the 22-year-old had minor injuries and was discharged. A third person also went to the hospital after claiming to have been attacked by a group of people in the same area. Nicosia CID is investigating the incidents.
The government of Cyprus has indefinitely suspended the processing of asylum applications from people of Syrian origin, citing an “emergency situation due to sudden influxes” from Syria. This decision, made under the Christodoulides Government, includes the use of the National Guard in anti-refugee operations and the suspension of asylum applications for 21 months for Syrians. The government’s measures have been criticized for violating international obligations under the Geneva Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as for contributing to anti-immigration and anti-refugee sentiments. Additionally, the government’s actions have been deemed illegal and disproportionate, with concerns raised about military-style pushbacks conducted with the navy and police.
A group of volunteers on the Greek island of Lesbos transformed an abandoned burial ground into a proper cemetery for asylum-seekers who died trying to reach Europe. They uncovered and counted graves, replacing the old mounds with cement graves topped with white pebbles. The project was led by Fabiola Velasquez, who wanted to create a place where those who lost their lives seeking refuge in Europe could be remembered. Lesbos was a key location during Europe’s refugee crisis in 2015, with many people drowning in the perilous sea crossing from Turkey. The team identified 197 graves, but the number is expected to increase as many of the dead have never been identified.