The Cypriot government has issued a plea for the European Union (EU) to extend assistance as Cyprus grapples with record numbers of Syrian migrants arriving from Lebanon.
Ahead of a scheduled visit to Beirut to discuss the crisis on Monday, Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou appealed to Brussels for support, warning that the country’s reception facilities were on the brink of collapse.
In an interview with The Guardian, Ioannou articulated the urgency of the situation, stating, “This is a cry for help. There has been a very sharp increase [in arrivals]. We are in a crisis situation; our capacities have been surpassed.”
Last week, Cyprus faced a “serious crisis situation” as described by President Nicos Anastasiades, when 15 boats carrying 800 individuals made the 10-hour journey from Lebanon to Cyprus.
Ioannou noted, “Most of these 800 were young people, but they also included about 100 unaccompanied minors for whom we had to immediately provide guardianship.”
The first three months of the year saw more than 2,000 individuals making the 100-mile sea crossing from Syria, a stark contrast to the 78 recorded during the same period last year, according to figures from the Cypriot Ministry of Interior.
Anastasiades warned that his government might have to implement “unwelcome measures” if the influx continues.
In conclusion, Anastasiades emphasized, “We strongly believe that [Lebanon] must receive financial assistance from the European Union (EU).”
This statement underscores the growing concern within Cyprus and calls for a collaborative effort from the EU to manage the escalating migrant crisis effectively.
