{"id":10086,"date":"2024-04-29T22:01:39","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T19:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/?p=10086"},"modified":"2024-04-29T22:01:39","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T19:01:39","slug":"ioannou-hails-cyprus-migrant-returns-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/?p=10086","title":{"rendered":"Ioannou hails Cyprus, \u2019 migrant returns policy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ioannou-hails-cyprus-migrant-returns-policy.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p>Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Monday <strong>extolled the virtues of Cyprus\u2019 migrant returns policy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"cypru-video-ads\" id=\"cypru-1435777399\">\n<div id=\"cypru-1485947422\" data-cypru-trackid=\"478051\" data-cypru-trackbid=\"1\" class=\"cypru-target\">\n<div id=\"gpt-ad-8608624631675-0\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ioannou was speaking an inter-ministerial meeting regarding asylum and migration attended by the European Union\u2019s 27 member states\u2019 ministers responsible for the matter in the Belgian city of Ghent.<br \/>\nHe said the number of irregular migrants returned from Cyprus to their countries of origin from Cyprus increased by 66 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year.<br \/>\nThis, he explained, has been achieved by Cyprus deepening its cooperation with the EU\u2019s border security agency Frontex, <strong>better informing migrants about Cyprus\u2019 voluntary return programme<\/strong>, and utilising the EU\u2019s solidarity mechanism to relocate migrants to other member states.<br \/>\nHe said one key aspect of Cyprus\u2019 voluntary return programme is the financial incentive offered by the Cypriot government to leave.<br \/>\nIn addition, he said over 1,000 people were returned to their countries of origin between January and April 2024 \u2013 a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.<br \/>\nHe pointed out that these figures show Cyprus to have <strong>the highest number of migrant returns per head of any EU member state<\/strong>.<br \/>\nThis point did not go unnoticed by European Commission vice president Margaritis Schinas, who described Cyprus as the \u201cEuropean champion of migrant returns\u201d when he visited the island in March.<br \/>\nHe added that \u201cas a result of the very serious work that is being done in Cyprus \u2026 I think we can say, while avoiding triumphalism, that Cyprus has reached the end of the tunnel. In other words, immigration management is on a much more stable footing.\u201d<br \/>\nIn addition to the matter of migrant returns, the meeting also discussed the new EU pact on migration and asylum. The pact is set to be ready for full implementation in June 2026.<br \/>\n<strong>Ioannou had previously called the plan a \u201cstep in the <\/strong>right direction<strong>\u201d<\/strong>, with it including provisions to help EU countries manage surges in migrant flows, as well as screening of third country nationals upon their entry to the EU, with identity checks, biometric data collection and other checks.<br \/>\nIn addition, regulations regarding the Eurodac database will be altered, allowing for the fingerprints and photographs of those entering the EU illegally to be stored indefinitely.<br \/>\nThe interior ministry said when it was passed into EU law that the pact \u201cgives member states the tools to implement more effective migration management policies, and, above all, is a practical application of solidarity as a fundamental principle of the EU.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They said it \u201cestablishes a common legislative framework for the 27 member states, and establishes procedures for, among other things, the reception and resettlement of migrants, faster processing of asylum applications, stricter legal procedures and penalties for migrant smugglers, and ways to manage crises.\u201d<br \/>\nHowever, Ioannou had hoped the plan would go further regarding relocations of asylum seekers between member states, saying, \u201c<strong>our request remains that the relocation of asylum seekers is mandatory and not voluntary<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou extolled the virtues of Cyprus&#8217; migrant returns policy during an inter-ministerial meeting attended by the European Union&#8217;s 27 member states&#8217; ministers responsible for asylum and migration in Ghent. Cyprus has seen a 66% increase in the number of irregular migrants returned to their countries of origin in 2023 compared to the previous year. Cyprus has the highest number of migrant returns per head of any EU member state. The EU pact on migration and asylum, set to be fully implemented in June 2026, includes provisions for managing surges in migrant flows and screening third country nationals entering the EU. Ioannou hopes for mandatory relocation of asylum seekers between member states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10087,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1521,6557,1794,6490,2726,7129,1002,5697,3475,2950,3,2369,6597,379,2347,5602,8343,1841,3543,2404,8314,250,3330,415,1795,1823,2142,3032,986,5679,3573,6653,7776,1346,3443,5254,6510,8341,1259,821,3022,3331,2946,4833,4843,4428,7904,2871,827,5889,7967,3990,8342,6305],"class_list":["post-10086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyprus","tag-1521","tag-application","tag-asylum","tag-asylum-applications","tag-asylum-seekers","tag-border","tag-checks","tag-collection","tag-cooperation","tag-cypriot-government","tag-cyprus","tag-data","tag-data-collection","tag-eu","tag-eu-countries","tag-eu-law","tag-eu-pact-on-migration-and-asylum","tag-european-commission","tag-european-commission-vice-president","tag-european-union","tag-framework","tag-google","tag-google-news","tag-government","tag-immigration","tag-increase","tag-inter-ministerial-meeting","tag-interior-ministry","tag-irregular-migrants","tag-law","tag-legislative-framework","tag-management","tag-march","tag-meeting","tag-member-states","tag-migrant-flows","tag-migrant-returns","tag-migrant-returns-policy","tag-migrants","tag-migration","tag-migration-management","tag-news","tag-penalties","tag-policy","tag-president","tag-regulations","tag-relocation","tag-request","tag-security","tag-solidarity","tag-state","tag-third-country-nationals","tag-voluntary-return-programme","tag-who"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- 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