THE RECOGNITION rate for refugees in Cyprus is very low, even though the island receives a very large number of asylum applications compared to other European countries.
Based on statistics from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the recognition rate in Cyprus is only 3.41 per cent.
According to Cristina Planas, the Representative of the UNHCR in Cyprus, this is the greatest problem on the island regarding refugees.
“Regarding the quality, we cannot say we have extraordinary departure, we have a big problem of the pace of the analysis, there are too many cases that are pending,” she told the Cyprus Mail yesterday. “This therefore means that the percentage that should be recognised is suffering terribly, while the individuals that do not qualify are being allowed to spend two or three years in the country until their application is examined. This is definitely a pull factor for people that do not have a genuine case for asylum.”
There are currently 11,044 cases pending, while since 1998 only 572 people have been granted refugee status with 265 having been granted a humanitarian visa and 207 been given subsidiary protection.
According to Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis, there were a host of reasons to blame for the fact that Cyprus had such a large number of applications for asylum.
“Due to our geographical position, our democratic regime, our record of respecting human rights, our great economic and social condition as well as our status as a fully fledged member of the European Union, we have been receiving a disproportionate amount of asylum seekers in the last few years,” he said.
According to statistics from the Immigration Services, since 2002 there have been 26,789 such applications.
Speaking at a presentation of a number of EU-funded programmes for the education and sensitisation of public opinion in Cyprus regarding refugees and people with subsidiary protection, Sylikiotis outlined all the available services.
“Some of the services include the provision of free social and psychological support to the asylum seekers as well as free access to legal advisors and legal support. These two initiatives are organised with the help of KISA [Action for Equality, Support and Antiracism],” he said.
Among the other programmes is the improvement of the existing services provided by the Centre for the Reception of Asylum Seekers in Kofinou as well as the operation of a Rehabilitation centre for victims of torture. Further methods for the integration of immigrants include giving asylum seekers Greek language courses.
The total cost of all the programmes has been estimated at £450,000 with three quarters of the cost being provided by the European Refugee Fund.
There will also be attempts aimed at improving the current system of examining applications, with Sylikiotis saying that research will be undertaken into the reasons that are currently putting the asylum system in Cyprus under great strain.
Planas gives her own view into what has to be done to improve the system on the island and reduce the massive delays.
“It would be much more helpful if were more officers carrying out this analysis so that they will be able to issue decisions in a faster way,” she said.
The campaign that will be concluded at the end of this year, entitled ‘All together in Cyprus’, is aimed at promoting cultural diversity on the island. Events will include a number of television and radio programmes as well as a launch of a call centre for refugee related matters in Cyprus.
