Commissioner Margaritis Schinas on Sunday visited the Inexperienced Line in Athienou space and had the chance to see together with his personal eyes the scenario with migrant influxes that Cyprus is confronted with prior to now months. A large number of migrants principally from African international locations arrive through Turkey to the occupied areas and from there they cross within the Cyprus Republic. Cyprus has repeatedly requested EU`s help to cope with the flows. On Monday Schinas and Inside Minister Nicos Nouris will signal an MoU between the EU and the Cyprus authorities on operational help on the Presidential Palace within the presence of President Nicos Anastasiades.
On Sunday Schinas and the Minister visited Athienou and in statements that adopted the Commissioner famous that he all the time believed that one can higher comprehend the migration disaster being on the sphere the place the issue exists, speaking to people who find themselves affected. He stated that he beforehand visited Moria camp in Greece and the Lithuanian border and at the moment he’s right here on the Inexperienced Line and what he sees is stunning.
He famous that the Inexperienced Line shouldn’t be an exterior border of the EU and Cyprus as a small member state can’t cope with the difficulty of migration. Schinas stated that the go to at the moment sends a message that we have to act and we have to draft an motion plan which should embody the causes of the issue, the scenario within the Turkish shoreline and on the bottom from the place these individuals depart.
The Commissioner stated that in March he shall be visiting Turkey and he’ll talk about the matter. He famous that Cyprus must obtain EU funding to cope with the influxes and in addition methods have to be discovered for the return of all those that wouldn’t have the best to be in EU soil.
He famous how necessary the signing of the MoU tomorrow is including that he needs to remain optimistic that will probably be a brand new starting in assising the Republic of Cyprus and the native communities.
The Commissioner stated as soon as once more that EU can’t be a firefighter operating after a disaster every time it happens however quite must construct a robust framework that can cope with the difficulty in a complete and holistic approach. He praised the efforts made by the French Presidency of the EU and requested Cyprus to have a number one position within the discussions underway.
Replying to a query Schinas refuted that EU follows double requirements and added that in Belarus there’s an EU exterior border and a hybrid menace with 20-25,000 individuals being moved to enter EU. He famous Cyprus` particularities which dictate for a selected method. He stated that no magic options exist and no button may be pushed to resolve the difficulty however famous as soon as once more that Europe must have a standard migration coverage.
He additionally stated that Turkey and different neighbouring states want to grasp that they need to work with the EU and cooperate as a result of additionally they will acquire in the event that they accomplish that.
Inside Minister Nicos Nouris stated that Schinas’ go to is the peak of visits by EU officers to the island with migration on the agenda. He stated as soon as once more that Cyprus is confronted with many challenges and as frontline state receives the largest variety of migrants in inhabitants ratio. He stated that burden is large and EU wants to supply assist.
Nouris stated that Inexperienced Line is an open wound for Cyprus and the migration flows and each day tens of unlawful migrants cross to the Cyprus Republic . He added that EU should assist Cyprus in dealing with the scenario with the Inexperienced Line clarifying that this isn’t an exterior border nevertheless what we search is measures in place to fight unlawful migration.
Nouris stated that FRONTEX must patrol Turkey’s shoreline from the place boats with unlawful migrants depart and a FRONTEX officer must be stationed at Istanbul airport to test flights to the unlawful airport within the occupied areas which carry principally unlawful migrants from sub Saharan Africa.
The Inside Minister stated that Turkey makes use of migration as an instrument towards the EU and that is the rationale Cyprus seeks assist in European degree to cope with the influxes from the Inexperienced Line. He additionally praised the efforts made which led to the MoU to be signed tomorrow.
(CNA)