Nicosia, Cyprus. Deputy migration minister Nicholas Ioannides said on Thursday that combating illegal migrant smuggling remains a daily operational challenge. He told a Europol joint parliamentary scrutiny meeting that pending asylum applications are declining after years of pressure on the system.
Government results and ongoing cooperation
Ioannides said the government had delivered measurable results and that efforts would continue at both national and European levels. He said Cyprus would work in cooperation with the European Commission and Europol.
Pressure on services and communities
Ioannides said that in recent years people seeking international protection have formed a significant share of Cyprus’s population, well above the EU average. He said this has placed pressure on public services and local communities.
Green Line operational environment
He said the Republic faces a distinct operational reality due to the Green Line. While not an external border, he said the demarcation creates a complex environment in which security must be safeguarded while fully respecting human rights obligations.
Deputy migration ministry and policy objectives
Ioannides described the creation of the deputy migration ministry as a turning point that enables stronger coordination between services and a more coherent policy framework. He said the approach was rigorous and practical, focused on reducing irregular flows, cutting the backlog of asylum applications, and increasing returns, adding that smuggling networks flourish when routes are unprotected, procedures are slow, and decisions cannot be enforced.
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