Cyprus has begun expelling groups of foreign nationals who have been turned down for asylum, citing concerns over security threats and changing demographics due to a migration crisis.
According to reports, 200 Georgian citizens were flown back to their country in the month of May, after their asylum applications were rejected by the Migration office. 90 of them boarded a chartered flight last week and 110 flew back on Tuesday. It is unclear if the flights were forced deportations or if they were arranged in coordination with the Georgian consulate.
According to daily Phileleftheros, Interior Minister Nikos Nouris said the state was organising a voluntary return for 150 Cameroonians, adding the state would pay €88,000 for their flight back home. Syrian nationals also were said to be a high priority on the list.
Yesterday, Cyprus reported that it was ready to deport seventeen people wanted for participating in terrorist organisations and are involved with either ISIS or Al-Qaeda.
Earlier this week Cypriot MP Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis participated in an OSCE Parliamentary Assembly webinar, where he told his colleagues that Cyprus was facing a “serious security threat” due to the migration crisis.
*Source: Kathimerini
