Cyprus asks EU for help to address spike in Syrian refugees from Lebanon
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Cypriot government said on Saturday the European Union (EU) must help Cyprus address the unprecedented numbers of Syrian immigrants arriving from Lebanon.
Before a scheduled visit to Lebanon, Cyprus’s interior minister, Constantinos Ioannou, appealed for support from Brussels as its reception facilities were overstrained.
“This is a cry for help,” Ioannou told the Guardian. “There has been a very sharp increase [in flows]. We are in crisis mode, reaching our limits.”
“We strongly believe [Lebanon] should be financially assisted by the EU,” Ioannou pointed out.
He added that they should talk about an aid package similar to the €7.4bn (£6.4bn) pact reached between the EU and Egypt in March to curb the flow of immigrants.
Numbers of immigrants increased amid escalating tension in the Middle East. Recently, Lebanese authorities have shifted their focus from thwarting illegal immigration due to the hostilities on its southern border with Israel.
Ioannou said Lebanon has two million Syrian refugees and the country’s authorities are no longer able to manage their borders and require help.
Official figures indicate the rate of immigrants from Syria and Lebanon arriving to Cyprus by sea increased 355 percent, with 4,259 arriving in 2023 compared to 937 in 2022.
Cyprus’ official have frequently asked the EU to mark areas in Syria as safe to be able to return refugees back to Syria.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Syria remains the largest displacement crisis in the world with over 12 million Syrians displaced.