NICOSIA, Cyprus — Recent reports indicate that over 1,000 Syrian individuals have officially withdrawn their asylum or international protection applications, citing plans to return to their home country. Additionally, around 500 Syrians have already made the journey back, according to statements made by a Cypriot official on Friday.
Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides, discussed these changes following discussions with European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner. The shift is attributed to the recent political changes in Syria, particularly the fall of the Assad regime last month.
In recent years, Cyprus has implemented stricter policies aimed at reducing the influx of migrants arriving primarily by sea from neighboring Lebanon and Syria, or through Turkey via the Turkish Cypriot enclave in the north. Cypriot officials reported that irregular migration accounted for as much as 6% of their population, a figure that is six times higher than the average across Europe.
Ioannides noted that these stringent measures appear to be effective. He stated that approximately 10,000 irregular migrants exited Cyprus last year through various means such as voluntary returns, deportations, or relocations to other European countries. This made Cyprus the leading EU country in terms of the ratio of migrant departures to arrivals.
This year, the number of new asylum applications has significantly decreased, totaling 6,769 in 2024, representing a decline of 41% compared to the previous year. This figure is also about one-third of the applications received in 2022. Ioannides mentioned that this decline has allowed authorities to process pending applications more swiftly and provide necessary support to those seeking international protection.
Recent months have seen a complete halt in boat arrivals, particularly from Lebanon, largely due to intensified maritime patrols and collaborative efforts with neighboring governments as well as European and global entities.
Furthermore, in May, the European Union announced a substantial aid package worth 1 billion euros ($1.03 billion) aimed at strengthening border controls in Lebanon to curb the flow of asylum seekers and migrants attempting to reach Cyprus and Italy via the Mediterranean.
However, Cyprus has faced criticism regarding alleged violations of migrants’ rights. A significant ruling from the European Court of Human Rights last October stated that Cyprus infringed on the rights of two Syrian individuals by preventing them and over two dozen others aboard a boat at sea from seeking asylum for two days before forcibly returning them to Lebanon.
