Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides, outlined the measures that Cyprus has taken to facilitate the voluntary return of Syrians to their country, during the first day of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the EU which was held in Brussels on Thursday. The meeting continues on Friday with the participation of the Ministers responsible for justice issues.

According to a statement issued on Friday, the Ministers responsible for home affairs and migration discussed during a working lunch the implementation of potential innovative solutions to prevent irregular migration flows, as well as recent developments in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime.

In his intervention, Ioannides told his counterparts that, in recent days, a number of Syrians residing in Cyprus have withdrawn their applications for international protection. Others have given up the subsidiary protection status granted to them, as they intend to return to Syria, he added.

Ioannides also informed the Council of the EU that the Deputy Ministry for Migration has taken the necessary measures to facilitate voluntary returns.

The Deputy Minister also stressed that the respect of Syria’s sovereignty and preserving the country’s territorial integrity should be a priority, and underlined the importance of ensuring stability for the benefit of all Syrians and the wider region.