More migrants leaving than seeking asylum

Cyprus said Wednesday that for the first time in years, the number of migrants it is sending back had outpaced those seeking asylum on the east Mediterranean island, which it says is on the frontline of migration to Europe.

The Interior Ministry issued a written statement Wednesday saying it had transferred another 51 asylum seekers to France through the EU’s voluntary relocation programme.

It said they were relocated in cooperation with the French authorities, with the support of the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

“There is a positive balance in the number of migrant departures from Cyprus compared to the number of inflows,” said the ministry.

“For the first time, after many years, as a result of coordinated actions and measures, the total number of migrants who left Cyprus is greater than the total number of migrants who entered,” it added.

The ministry said in the last quarter, April – June 2023, 2,381 asylum applications were submitted, although 2,714 immigrants departed Cyprus ( either through voluntary relocation, voluntary returns or deportation to their country of origin).

In June alone, 735 asylum applications were submitted, while 926 third-country nationals left Cyprus.

It did not give the nationality of those sent back or relocated.

European Union member Cyprus argues it is a ‘frontline country’ on the Mediterranean migrant route, with asylum-seekers comprising an EU high of 5% of the island’s 915,000 population in the Republic – a record figure across the bloc.

“Transfers through this program, aimed at supporting frontline Member States with increased migration challenges, will continue in the coming period,” said the ministry.

It said the next flight is scheduled for July 19 from Cyprus, with 40 people expected to be transferred to Norway.

Cyprus has long argued, with other EU Mediterranean states, that it needs more funding and political support from Brussels to tackle irregular migration.