Minister of the Interior Nicos Nouris, who participated in the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, has underlined Turkey’s role in the trafficking of irregular immigrants noting that the aid of 200 million euro, which is planned for Turkey for the security of its external borders, should only be given under certain conditions.
In a written statement, the Minister notes that the conditions concern Turkey’s compliance with the EU visa program, the control of illegal departures from its southern coasts, the control of transfer passengers from Istanbul to the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus and the termination of fake student visas.
He adds that an informal document was submitted with the proposal to amend the asylum procedure so as to end the exploitation of migrants and the loss of life at sea, to combat traffickers and reduce flows.
The proposal, he notes, provides ia that asylum applications should be submitted and examined outside the EU, either in the countries of origin or in the countries through which the immigrants pass, in order for those entitled to protection to arrive safely in the Union, without risking their lives or being exploited by traffickers.
Meanwhile, Justice and Public Order Minister Stefi Drakou, who also participated in the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, said in her intervention that Turkey takes no measures to stop illegal immigrants from reaching the government-controlled areas of Cyprus.
According to a press release by the Justice Ministry, Drakou noted that Turkey allows them to leave its territory for the occupied areas of Cyprus where through the green line they come to the Republic of Cyprus’s government-controlled areas.
She stressed that what is required is the compliance of all third countries, including Turkey, with their commitments to control migration flows from their territories and to return those who illegally end up in European countries through their territories.
Source: Cyprus News Agency