President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus has personally appealed to the head of the EU’s executive arm to help stop the influx of Syrian refugees arriving by boat on the east Mediterranean island nation. He highlighted that Lebanon, which receives significant EU financial aid for its citizens and Syrian refugees, must prevent this migration for aid to continue. In recent days, over 350 migrants, predominantly Syrian, have arrived in Cyprus by boat, with more expected. Christodoulides stressed that Lebanon must stop migrants from leaving for Cyprus to receive further financial assistance.
The recent surge in Syrian migrant arrivals has prompted Cyprus to once again enter “crisis mode,” despite having successfully repatriated more migrants with rejected asylum applications in recent months. Christodoulides held a meeting with top officials to address the sudden influx and discussed potential temporary measures to manage the situation. The government is considering designating safe zones within the country to facilitate the repatriation of Syrian refugees, a proposal that is garnering support among EU member states.
The EU is willing to provide additional financial support to Lebanon to help cope with the large number of refugees it hosts, but insists that Lebanon must prevent the departure of migrants to Cyprus to receive this aid. Christodoulides emphasized the need for collective action within the EU to address the issue of Syrian migration, particularly in light of the potential escalation of conflict in the region due to the Israeli-Hamas war. Cyprus is exploring options to manage the influx of migrants and seeking support from EU partners in implementing measures to address the situation.
Last month, 450 Syrian migrants on six boats were spotted off the southeastern coast of Cyprus, all of which had departed from Lebanon. Christodoulides expressed concern over the recent phenomenon of Syrian migrants arriving via boat, which has strained the nation’s resources and triggered a return to crisis mode. The Cypriot government is seeking ways to address the influx and considering temporary measures that may be unpopular among the local population.
President Christodoulides met with EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the issue of Syrian migrants arriving in Cyprus and the impact on the EU as a whole. He emphasized the need for Lebanon to take action to prevent migrants from leaving for Cyprus, in order to receive continued financial aid. The Cypriot government is working on strategies to manage the influx of migrants and exploring options such as designating safe zones for repatriation. There is growing support among EU member states for the proposed measures to address the situation.
The Cypriot government is in talks with EU partners to find a collective solution to the issue of Syrian migration, particularly in light of the escalating conflict in the region. The recent surge in migrants arriving by boat has put a strain on Cyprus’ resources and prompted the nation to implement crisis management measures. President Christodoulides is leading efforts to address the influx, including temporary measures that may need to be implemented to manage the situation effectively and seek support from EU partners in addressing the issue.
