Cyprus has officially requested the European Union to reassess which areas of Syria can be considered safe and free from armed conflict. This is in order to facilitate the eventual repatriation of Syrian migrants to these areas, according to Cypriot authorities. During the informal meeting of EU interior ministers in Spain in July, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou was the only official to raise this issue. The Interior Ministry confirmed that no other EU country has taken a formal position on re-evaluating safe zones, as reported by The Associated Press.
Cyprus is spearheading this initiative because it has become a primary destination for Syrian migrants due to its proximity to the region. The ethnically divided island, with a population of nearly a million in the southern, internationally recognized part, has seen an increase in the number of migrants seeking asylum. Migrants now make up 6% of Cyprus’ population, significantly higher than the average in other EU member countries.
For the past 12 years, Syria has been designated as an unsafe country due to the ongoing violence, making its citizens eligible for international protection and enabling them to live and work in third countries.
Syrian migrants are seen near Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
The Cypriot government’s proposal is to review the situation on the ground in Syria or in specific regions to determine if conditions have changed enough for Syrians to be safely repatriated. The practicalities of the repatriation process will be decided at a later stage. One possibility would be to begin repatriating Syrians from the declared safe zones, according to the Cypriot Ministry of Interior.
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Out of the 7,369 migrants who have sought asylum in Cyprus in 2023 until the end of August, 40% are Syrians.
The European Union Agency for Asylum states that there is only “no real risk” to civilians from indiscriminate violence in one of Syria’s 13 regions, specifically Tartus. In four other regions, including Latakia, Damascus, Homs, and Quneitra, indiscriminate violence is not “at a high level.”
The United Nations refugee agency stated that it is currently unaware of any discussions within the EU regarding a change of policy on returning refugees to Syria. However, the agency emphasized that any repatriation must be voluntary and on an individual basis rather than as a group.
“UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations must have access to the entire territory of Syria in order to monitor the conditions for return, assess the needs of individuals independently, and provide services based solely on need,” the agency added.
