Cyprus President Advocates for EU Discussion on Syria Safe Zones

In a bid to alleviate the refugee burden on Mediterranean countries, Cyprus's President Nikos Christodoulides calls for EU to consider establishing safe zones in Syria.

President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus emphasizes the need for the EU to explore safe zones in Syria to facilitate refugee returns.
Cyprus collaborates with like-minded EU members to initiate discussions on the matter, aiming to reduce the pressure on countries facing high refugee and migrant inflows.
Despite a decline in overall migrant arrivals to Cyprus, there was a significant increase in boat arrivals from Syria and Lebanon in the past year.
Germany supports Cyprus by agreeing to accept 1,000 asylum-seekers, acknowledging the challenges posed by people-smuggling.
Cypriot authorities report a drop in asylum applications and an increase in repatriations and voluntary departures in 2023.