On the Government’s decision to suspend the examination of asylum applications

Statement by AKEL C.C. member Marina Savva

15 April 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The Government Spokesperson today tried to explain the announcement by the President of the Republic to suspend the examination of asylum applications of people originating from Syria.

Mr. Letymbiotis said that the Republic of Cyprus will receive the refugees and transfer them to the centres of Kofinou and Pournara where they will be provided with food and accommodation, but will not examine their applications.

Apart from being a measure of dubious legality, this will simply multiply the number of pending asylum applications and create new congestion in the reception centres with all the problems that this entails. It will also create a wave of appeals to the Court of International Protection.

If the Government wants to be effective in handling the challenges posed by refugee flows, the first thing it must do is to urgently put before the European Union the request for the sharing of refugee flows among all member states according to their population and capacities, as was the case with regards the Ukrainian refugees.

15.4.2024