Press Releases

The President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, visited this morning the Reception Centre at Pournara, where he spoke with the competent officials and with asylum seekers about the living conditions at the centre.

In statements to the press, after his visit, President Anastasiades asked about his impressions from the visit, said that “the first impression is on the one hand, the tragic situation that these people who have been exploited or are generally looking for better living conditions than those of their homeland are facing, but at the same time the tragic conditions our country is facing with nearly 5% of our population being applicants for political asylum.

We are the first country in terms of population proportion to receive so many applications. Naturally efforts are being made to deal with problems, without this meaning that problems have been solved or that they are not being dealt with. No country has resolved the issue without problems.

I have witnessed what is happening at the Pournara Reception, immediately afterwards a meeting will be held at the Presidential Palace and I believe that decisions will be taken in the next few hours, which will resolve the multiple problems encountered at Pournara”.

To a reporter’s comment that there is strong criticism about the living conditions of migrants and that blame is attributed to the government for deliberately creating difficulties in order to discourage migrants from coming to Cyprus, the President of the Republic said “I refuse to comment on such remarks.

At a time when people are going through crisis, when the state is trying to deal with the crisis in the best possible way, when Europe is supportive – FRONTEX is present, other officials are present – I have the impression that it is best to focus on how to solve the problems, on how we can deal with the crisis that has been created as a result of the flows, rather than to deal with other people’s opinions.

What is needed is to improve our policies, improve our infrastructure, so that we can be even more humane”.

Asked if he thinks that some people are trying to take advantage of the problems at Pournara to “attack” the Government or in particular the Minister of Interior, President Anastasiades said that “the Minister of Interior is doing an excellent job, as well as the Deputy Minister for Welfare, and if there were shortcomings due to overcrowding, they will be dealt with as they ought to be.

A big problem has already been dealt with and a large number of persons has been transferred. At today’s meeting we will see how overcrowding concerning minors can be further dealt with – there are procedural issues that must be followed – but at the same time how the large number of adults hosted can be decongested”.

To a reporter’s observation that the Commissioner for Children's Rights raised the issue that minors are offered a small piece of bread and a bottle of water per day, the President of the Republic said “it’s not a piece of bread, you saw it. The beverage is missing and it is inconceivable that there is no beverage. In my view, it is a serious omission. We'll look into it and deal with it”.

The President of the Republic was accompanied in Pournara by the Minister of Interior, Mr Nicos Nouris, the Deputy Minister for Welfare, Ms Anastasia Anthousi, the Government Spokesman, Mr Marios Pelekanos, the Deputy Minister to President, Mr Kyriakos Koushos, the Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights, Ms Maria Stylianou-Lottides, the Commissioner for Children's Rights, Ms Despo Michaelidou Livaniou, and the Deputy Government Spokeswoman, Ms Niovi Parisinou.

(EK/MPO)