Cyprus’s appeal has finally been heard: the director of the European agency responsible for monitoring the borders of the Union announced, Thursday, February 17, from Nicosia, the strengthening of his presence in the small European country. Every day, dozens of exiles enter the Republic of Cyprus illegally to file an asylum application. So much so that the country now says it is in a “state of migratory emergency”.
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Just look at the figures to understand: since the beginning of the year, nearly a thousand exiles have entered the island, which is the smallest country in the European Union and has only one million. of inhabitants. Last year, the number of asylum seekers increased by 123% and the authorities assure that things will not improve in 2022.
The case is complicated by the geopolitical situation of the island of Cyprus, cut in two: a Greek part and a part under Turkish influence. Since 1974, the Republic of Cyprus, therefore Greek, has exercised its authority only over the southern part of the island. The whole northeast has since been placed under the control of a power supported by Turkey, not recognized by the international community. There is therefore no official border between the two, but a buffer zone that is very easy to cross.
According to figures from the Republic of Cyprus, 80% of exiles return through the so-called Turkish zone. “I came to northern Cyprus, explains Jean-Marc, 54, who was a pastor in Congo. And there was no visa problem because if you just enroll in a university, they let you walk on their soil.” Jean-Marc spent nearly $6,000 to become a sort of ghost student. Cameroonians, Pakistanis, Indians: all tell the same story. The Republic of Cyprus accuses Erdogan’s Turkey of once again using these refugees to put pressure on the island and therefore on the European Union.
The arrivals by boat, at the same time, are also more and more numerous. This time, the exiles leave from Lebanon or Syria. All are fleeing the collapse of their countries. The smugglers promise them an easy life in France, Germany, or the Netherlands. From the outset, the promise is false: Cyprus is not even part of the Schengen area and does not allow free movement to the continent. Once on this ground in fact, they all find themselves stuck in a saturated camp. “This camp is the worst camp in the world, I’m afraid to die, says Fahed, a 50-year-old Syrian. If I had been sure, I would never have come. The smugglers sold us dreams: we were told: over there, you will work and earn 100 euros a day. I left everything to come. But in fact, here it is worse than in Syria. I say to everyone: do not come here! Go straight to the mainland. Cyprus is not really Europe.”
Overwhelmed, the Cypriot authorities obtained a reinforcement of the presence of Frontex to slow down the arrival of exiles. They are now asking the other Member States of the Union to show solidarity, by welcoming some of the refugees already on their soil.