The Ministry of Interior together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon announce a package of measures to strengthen controls at both roadblocks and uncontrolled passages along the green line, said Interior Minister Konstantinos Petridis, describing the green line as a "black hole".
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the multipurpose center in Aska, Mr. Petridis reiterated that "immigration is an evolving crisis for Cyprus."
"Given the new situation, but also the mass flows of illegal immigrants that we have from the occupied territories, it is evolving into a major issue for Cyprus", said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that in this context together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we are working on a joint proposal to the Council of Ministers, which will also concern the change of the code of application of the regulation of the green line, but also other measures with strengthened controls both at the roadblocks and along the green line ”.
"We will announce a package of measures together with the Foreign Minister. "It is necessary to intensify the controls, both at the roadblocks and along the green line on the uncontrolled passages, and it is something that the controls stem from the obligation we have for the regulation of the green line", added the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Answering questions, Mr. Petridis stated that "our aim is to exclude some categories of third country nationals from crossing the roadblocks, in order to ensure that the regulation of the green line that was adopted applies to the smooth passage of Cypriots, T / C and Greek Cypriot, and not to be exploited by illegal immigrants or even by trafficking networks of illegal immigrants ".
"There is this black hole, there is this anomaly that is created due to the occupation of Cyprus, which is also a peculiarity. Of course we have set it in the EU and we need to take action. "We are in constant consultation with all the Ministries on this issue, I think we will say more within the month", he said.
Asked about Europe's responsibilities regarding the sharing of the burden regarding migration flows, Mr. Petridis said that the EU has the main responsibility for this situation, ie for the return of migrants.
"Europe has a large share of the responsibility, because Cyprus implements the European legal framework of asylum, which has not changed so as to relieve the front-line countries," he said.
Mr. Petridis stressed that it is unacceptable for Cyprus and Greece and one or two other EU countries to bear the brunt of the burden while the other Member States should shoulder an even distribution, adding that Cyprus has raised the issue of changing this policy.
He also noted that there must be a change in European policy regarding the return of irregular migrants.
Finally, when asked about the controls of naturalizations through the Cyprus Investment Program before 2018, and the work of the committee that has been appointed, Mr. Petridis limited himself to mentioning that this Commission will have a very wide field of action and that this has been adequately explained. .