As many as 9,647 new applications by asylum seekers were filed in Cyprus over the past five months alone.
The total number has now risen to almost 30,000 over the last two and a half years, Philenews reported on Monday which is World Refugee Day.
The official data also shows that there are currently 1,929 applications monthly, that is twice as many as in 2021 which corresponded to 1,102 per month. And four times more than the total in 2020 which corresponded to 591 per month.
The number of people seeking refuge away from hostilities or even misery in their countries is particularly high for the size of the Mediterranean island. This makes it extremely hard for competent authorities to confront the rising immigration crisis.
This year’s World Refugee Day, which is celebrated every year on June 20, focuses on the right of individuals to seek security.