Cyprus to crack down human trafficking

Cyprus Minister of the Interior Neoclis Sylikiotis said that the criminal act of human trafficking and other such phenomena cannot be accepted , noting that soon the action plan for the implementation of the Council of Europe treaty on human trafficking would be completed.
Speaking in Larnaca after the first part of the regional operational congress on combating human trafficking and money laundering in the Mediterranean region, Sylikiotis said Cyprus is one of the few countries that has incorporated the Council of Europe treaty in its legislation.
Sylikiotis noted that a working group is dealing with the implementation of the treaty and that soon the action plan would be ready and will include inter alia support and preventative measures.
He added that on September 10 a decision was taken to abolish the so-called artiste visa and apply the same procedures for work and residence permits as the other foreign workers. ''I call it an artiste visa because this phenomenon to have a separate visa for artiste activities occurred only in Cyprus,'' Sylikiotis pointed out.
Replying to questions, Sylikiotis said the phenomenon was a problem for Cyprus since the system was being exploited and it appeared that Cyprus was backing human trafficking.
The Minister said Cyprus must finally function as a democratic state and that such phenomena could not be accepted.
''The main point is that we do not just deplore in theory but we also take measures to combat this serious crime, contemporary slavery,'' he added.
The two-day congress, which began on Thursday, is organised by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS).
Participating in the congress are also experts from 24 countries, mainly from the Mediterranean region.