He is not satisfied with the pace of placing physical barriers and forming the team that will monitor the Green Line against irregular immigrants, said the Minister of the Interior , Nikos Nouris, citing the fence in Poland as an example.
He also noted that the Republic of Cyprus respects human rights and asks the EU for more support in dealing with the disproportionately large burden it bears on immigration.
After the end of the memorial service at St. Ioannis Pitsilias and asked to comment on a reference in his speech to the EU on immigration, Mr. Nouris said that in 2020 illegal flows from Turkey to Greece had risen to 78,000, while in 2021 Greece was able to limit the flows to 4,100.
“I would be happy if we could record similar results in the Republic of Cyprus as well.” Before the EU points fingers or makes suggestions to a frontline member state facing a problem of this magnitude, it would be good first, in the same indicative way, to address the originator of the problem, which is Turkey,” he said.
It is Turkey, he added, that is systematically instrumentalizing immigration in the eastern Mediterranean region, towards Greece and Cyprus. Therefore, he stated that he believes that an indicative reference to Turkey should precede any suggestions to Greece.
On a journalist's remark that the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, threatened Greece with a cut of funds, “something more than a suggestion”, Mr Nouris said that “I will leave it alone”, and added that Cyprus is one of the countries first line which faces by far a more serious problem and a more serious burden, the immigration issue, which has “taken flood proportions”. He reiterated that he would be happy if he could repeat the same positive results of reducing illegal crossings, like Greece.
Asked if he thinks that Cyprus could listen to the same advice from Ms. Johansson, the Minister of the Interior replied: “we are doing what is humanly possible and we can do much more and I want to believe that the EU will be our helper and supporter .No one ever said that we should treat these people in a wrong way. The Republic of Cyprus does not do it, it did not do it and I am categorical on this despite the comments to the contrary that are heard by some”.
Therefore, he continued, he does not think there is any reason for the EU to be critical of Cyprus, but Cyprus is entitled to demand more support from the EU. “We are also grateful for what they offer us at the moment, but yes, we need support because we have many peculiarities and we have a huge burden to carry.” He noted that the EU recognizes that this burden is too great for Cyprus, but they want in practice – he added – to see this support.
There is no other way out for Cyprus than to limit the flows from the Green Line, to maximize the returns and deportations of those who are not entitled to remain in the Republic. “We want this help, we claim this support, and I want to hope that it will be implemented”.
In response to a journalist's remark that the European Commissioner stated that the deportations carried out by Greece are illegal and what about ours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that he has no further comment to make. “As a result, we are all judged,” he said, saying that as a front-line European country, when we face this problem, we have contractual obligations, just as Greece has, vis-à-vis Europe itself, to guard its external borders. And we, in our turn – he continued – to guard the Green Line which is the crossing point for irregular immigrants.
Mr. Nouris said that we respect what we must respect in terms of human rights, but “the native inhabitants of this semi-occupied island also have human rights and therefore Europe should, yes, support us even more actively so that we can to solve this problem”.
Asked about the Ministry's plans for the Green Line, after the approval of the 300 who will guard it, Mr. Nouris said that he is not satisfied with the pace of either the physical obstacles, or the pace of building the specific unit. He considers, he said, that “reasons of national necessity require even bypassing specific procedures, always in the sense of respecting the legality”.
Everyone needs to understand, he continued, that we have to move at a very fast pace. Nikos Nouris said that Poland announced yesterday that it completed a 165 km long and 6 meter high fence, with all the technology at its disposal, within 6 months.
No means the Republic of Cyprus which faces a disproportionately greater burden to move at these paces, said the Minister of the Interior.
“We must move faster and in this direction I want to make an appeal to citizens: everyone is experiencing the problem we are facing. Magic recipes and solutions do not exist. Therefore, I think that it is necessary to show the corresponding – I dare say it – patriotism from everyone in order to be able to implement this difficult project”.
Source: KYPE
