The agreement reached at the level of EU Interior Ministers on the Migration Pact is an important step, Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Saturday, noting at the same time that without the cooperation of the EU the country would not be able to achieve its goals on migration. The President was speaking on the sidelines of a Children's Day event organised by the Office of the First Lady, at the gardens of the Presidential Palace, in Nicosia. Asked to comment on the immigration issue and the actions of the Republic of Cyprus to avoid tragedies like the one in Pylos, Greece, the President of the Republic said that "what happened recently is a tragic development." In our case, he continued, "although we have a huge problem with irregular immigration, - in recent days we have had increased flows - we always move within the framework of protecting these people and from there, always within the framework of international legality, all related procedures are followed." Speaking about irregular immigration, the President said that "it is one of the biggest problems we have to face today as the Republic of Cyprus." That is why, as he said, from the first day (of assuming his duties) and through specific actions - either by supporting the people who examine the applications or through the consolidation of procedures, or through his proposal for the establishment of a Deputy Ministry of Immigration or by appealing to the EU - there are some first results. 'Are we satisfied? No," the President pointed out, indicating that "this effort should continue especially in the next 2-3 years in order to be able to address this issue." Asked about the commitments of the EU Interior Ministers to deal with immigration, President Christodoulides noted that they cannot be implemented by themselves. In addition, he said that he considers the agreement reached at the level of the Ministers of the Interior on the Migration Pact "an important step", adding that it is "a first step after so many years of negotiations". The President welcomed the fact that EU member states have voluntarily agreed to receive migrants to their countries. "Without the cooperation of the EU we cannot achieve our goals," he concluded.
Source: Cyprus News Agency