European island in hardline migrant crackdown shows EU how it’s done | World | News
A small Mediterranean island is stepping up its approach to migration control, setting an example for the rest of the EU. Cyprus, located at the southeastern edge of the EU and close to the Middle East, is emerging as a key proponent of tougher rules for returning migrants who enter illegally, and officials in Nicosia believe their strategy is already paying off.
Brussels is finalizing plans to set up a new EU-wide system to speed up deportations, while Cyprus is set to take the lead when it assumes the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union next year. The government argues that its aggressive approach to returns has transformed migration flows and could provide a blueprint for other member states.
Cypriot officials say the island currently records the highest number of migrant returns per capita in the EU.
According to Deputy Immigration Minister Nicholas Ioannides, departures currently outnumber arrivals by roughly five to one; This is a sharp reversal from previous years, when Cyprus was at the top of Europe for per capita asylum application rates.
With a population of just 1.2 million and located near Syria and Lebanon, Cyprus has long been a preliminary destination for people fleeing conflict. This pressure has reached its peak in recent years, causing the government to overhaul the immigration system and center on repatriation.
“Cyprus has shown that a structured and legally based return policy can work,” Ioannides said, adding that most departures were voluntary. He wants new EU legislation to offer all member states similar tools to replicate this approach.
The EU’s draft return regulations, first proposed earlier this year, would allow governments to deport unsuccessful asylum seekers more quickly, set up processing centers outside EU borders and create so-called “return centres” outside Europe.
Cyprus will help guide negotiations between member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission, with talks expected to begin in the spring.
The move comes at a time of mounting political pressure across Europe, with voters’ frustration over immigration driving support for hard-line parties. EU governments have already agreed to punish countries that refuse to take back their citizens by cutting off trade benefits.
This change marks a dramatic turn for Cyprus. Immigration has become one of the island’s most divisive political issues after a surge in arrivals in 2022, triggering protests and occasional violence against immigrant communities.
In April last year, the government declared a state of emergency and stopped processing asylum claims; However, there was no official step back from this move.
President Nikos Christodoulides said the changes were intentional. Policy reports. “Cyprus is no longer seen as an easy destination,” he said recently, stressing that returns must go together with cooperation with countries of origin to address the reasons for migration.
One of the key measures introduced last summer offered incentives for Syrian families to return voluntarily, including cash payments and limited work permits for one member of the household if the rest of the family left Cyprus and withdrew their asylum claims. Authorities say more than 10,000 people have been repatriated in 2024, and the numbers are expected to rise again this year.
However, the island’s harsh stance has led to criticism. Human rights groups and lawyers accuse authorities of violating international law, pointing to court decisions alleging illegal pushbacks and forced repatriations. Critics also argue that strict welfare rules and long-term employment bans effectively pressure asylum seekers to leave.
Despite the controversy, Cyprus resolutely supports the EU’s tougher orientation. Authorities have supported overseas repatriation centers and increased funding to neighboring countries such as Lebanon to stem migration flows.
“These ideas are no longer theoretical,” Ioannides said. “They are becoming operational and Cyprus is ready to show how they can work.”
