Government Urged to Enhance Asylum Process Management

Urgent Call for Enhanced Migration Management

In a recent assembly, the House interior committee emphasized the critical need for the government to address the migration issue with urgency and effective strategies. The committee highlighted the necessity of integrated planning and structured political management to cope with the rising migration flows. This call to action followed the release of a comprehensive report, presented by Akel MP Aristos Damianou, the committee chairman.

Damianou stressed the importance of improving infrastructure, particularly focusing on reception centers and accommodations for asylum seekers. He underscored the need for a “rapid, legal, and efficient examination of applications” for asylum. Despite efforts to expedite processing, Damianou pointed out observed weaknesses within the specified timescales for handling asylum applications.

The government was urged to significantly enhance both the process and subsequent appeals. Clarifying responsibilities of immigration services and fostering better communication between them were identified as key steps towards refining procedures for examining asylum applications and managing living conditions for asylum seekers.

Special attention was given to ensuring appropriate legal representation for unaccompanied minors and safeguarding applicants from exploitation. Damianou also called for structured return processes for failed applicants and integrated inclusion policies for those granted asylum.

Addressing the influx of migrants through the north, the committee advised against piecemeal solutions and advocated for comprehensive measures. The government’s previous actions, such as the installation of barbed wire along the Green Line in 2021, were criticized for negatively affecting local residents’ quality of life.

Damianou also recommended continuous and comprehensive communication with the European Union about migration flows and proposed measures. He emphasized the need for effective measures to limit migration flows while upholding Cyprus’ European and international obligations and protecting citizens’ and migrants’ rights.

The phenomenon of sham marriages was also addressed, with Damianou acknowledging governmental improvements but recognizing the need for stricter legislation enforcement. Additionally, he expressed support for ensuring humane conditions in reception centers and called for unhindered healthcare professional access.

The committee concluded with a call for an action plan to tackle crime around reception centers and an intensified police effort to prosecute migrant traffickers and their local associates.