Cyprus says EU asylum policies failing frontline countries

Cyprus cannot accept the EU’s Legislative Package on Asylum without provisions for redistribution of migrants across the bloc, Interior Minister Constasntinos Petrides has said.

He expressed disappointment that no significant progress has been achieved during discussions for the adoption of a comprehensive Common European Asylum System.

According to a statement, in his intervention at the EU Informal Home and Justice Council summit was taking place in Bucharest on Thursday and Friday, Petrides said that the fact that no significant progress had been achieved so far had negative repercussions for the EU member states which receive the bulk of migration to the bloc.

He noted that the Romanian EU Presidency approach on the issue is based on the Commission’s proposal for temporary arrangements that do not include the compulsory redistribution of individuals, something that does not satisfy the government of Cyprus.

The minister expressed disagreement with the reference included in the document that a low number of arrivals was being maintained due to the effective implementation of the EU-Turkey deal, stressing that both Greece and Cyprus continued to face systematic and increased flows from Turkey.

He also stressed that Cyprus could not accept the Legislative Package on Asylum to be divided up, saying it would lead to increased responsibility of member states which are on the front line of migration, without any essential solidarity measure in the form of redistribution.

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