Cyprus to deter migrants with
SMS warning
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| Migrant detention centre in the Larnaca district (AFP) |
In an effort to deter migrants from attempting to land on
Cyprus, the government in Nicosia is launching an SMS text message campaign to
dispel the mistaken belief the country is a gateway to the European Union.
By Nathan Morley
The message is clear. Those attempting to disembark on the
island will receive warning they would be effectively trapped and can’t move on
to another EU country; given Cyprus is not part of the Schengen area.
In recent years, Cyprus has experienced an increased migrant
influx, with local authorities recording arrivals from Syria, Iraq, India,
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya, and North Africa, amongst others.
Authorities say around 3.8 percent of those living on the
island are asylum seekers, in stark contrast to many other EU states which have
a lighter migration burden.
According to the government, there was an increase of over
130 percent in asylum applications during 2019 compared to 2018.
In August 2019, the government in Nicosia asked the European
Commission to help relocate at least 5,000 asylum seekers to other European
Union member states. At the time, the Cypriot Minister of Interior highlighted
human trafficking, smuggling and exploitation of the asylum system.
In a related development, Malta says it is ready to act as a
bridge between Libya and the European Union to address the problem of illegal
migration.
Prime Minister Robert Abela says his brief visit to the
war-torn country last week confirmed that Libya was facing its own migration
problems with an influx of migrants from neighboring countries.
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