Asylum seekers who commit serious criminal offences will be deprived of their subsidiary protection status, Deputy Minister of Immigration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides, said on Thursday at the Presidential Palace, after a Cabinet meeting which approved the relevant bill.
Ioannides also said that it is expected to have developments regarding the agreements made with third countries on the repatriation of their citizens by Friday.
Today, the Cabinet approved the bill amending the Refugees Act, the Deputy Minister said. He also thanked the Legislation Commissioner and the Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus for their assistance in drafting the bill amending the legislation in place.
“Besides the changes in relation to some technical terms that have arisen due to the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Immigration and International Protection, the main purpose of this bill is to incorporate the Union provision which states that, in the event that holders of subsidiary protection commit serious criminal offences, then we can revoke that subsidiary protection,” he explained.
“This is very important and compatible with the EU legislation because it shows the government’s determination to deal with the delinquency of foreigners”, the Deputy Minister added. “We provide hospitality and international protection in accordance with our international obligations, however, when this hospitality is abused, then in addition to criminal sanctions there is also the consequence of the subsidiary protection revocation,” he added.
He also noted that “subsidiary protection is given to those individuals who do not meet the criteria for refugee status, precisely because they have been expelled from their country for various other reasons.”
Replying to a question, the Deputy Minister of Immigration clarified that the amending bill concerns criminal offences committed in the Republic of Cyprus, adding that holders of refugee and subsidiary protection status are subject to the same laws as citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. “So, in case they commit serious criminal offences, then their status is revoked. They cease to have international protection,” he explained.
Replying to another question about the possibility of repatriation of these people, Ioannides said that these people usually come from countries where they are at risk. “So, we cannot repatriate them, however there is the possibility, upon agreement with third countries, that they will accept them or, if the conditions in their country of origin have changed, then we can repatriate them, as long as they are not in danger,” he said.
“There are no agreements (N.B. with third countries), however there is a practice and that is why we see large numbers of returns every month, because there is consultation and cooperation with states that accept the repatriation of their citizens”, said Ioannides. “We have come to an agreement with some countries and by tomorrow we will have developments, the matter will be closed”, he concluded.