AKEL stands with the displaced people
The Government, DISY, DIKO, DIPA, EDEK stand in opposition
27 March 2026, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
The Plenary Session of the House of Representatives, in its session yesterday, rejected by a majority the referral by the President of the Republic, taking a clear stand in favor of the displaced people.
The AKEL proposal that had been referred back gives a second chance to refugees who, for whatever reason, did not submit an application to the Agency’s housing scheme, allowing them to do so in the first half of 2027. This is a provision that addresses real needs, as many were not adequately informed, others received incorrect information, and quite a few believed that such a right should not be strictly time-limited. AKEL’s position was endorsed by the Equal Burden Sharing Agency itself, the Pan-Cyprian Refugees Union, and a number of other organizations, a fact that demonstrates the fairness of our proposal.
Despite the stance of the governing bloc—DISY, DIKO, DIPA, and EDEK —the majority of MPs chose to reject the referral and defend a fair arrangement for displaced persons, sending the message that the House of Representatives cannot accept policies that lead to exclusion or the creation of second-class citizens.
The responsibility now falls entirely on the President of the Republic, whom we call upon to respect the Parliament’s decision and align with the rights of the 1974 war refugees community, avoiding the referral of the matter to the Supreme Court.
