The hopes of Nicolas, a citizen of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, were shattered on a stone bench in front of the
Catholic Church in Nicosia. The 32-year-old man thought that he would reach Europe and its opportunities by crossing the demarcation line separating the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) from the Republic of Cyprus in the south. The reality, however, was quite different. 

Cyprus is a dead-end for migrants, who have no
hope of continuing their journey to other European countries since the island
is not part of the Schengen area. Furthermore, Nicolas did not meet the conditions for
asylum.

The northern migration route has dried up

His journey began a year and a half ago in
Istanbul, where he flew to the TRNC, which is only recognized by Turkey. He
enrolled in one of the 23 universities established by the Ankara government,
hoping to move to the south afterward. “I paid $2,650 for the first semester. My mother helped me,” he said, sitting on his
bench, his shoulders slumped. On June 14, he crossed the Green Line, the buffer
zone between the North and the South, paying $530 for a taxi to take him to one of the clandestine crossings. 

Four months after his arrival, Nicolas now lives
in social housing, which he shares with other migrants. Running out of
resources, the young Congolese sought help at the Caritas office located at the church, looking for a job: “If I get one, I can apply for a work
contract after nine months and stay.” But he is far from alone; there are
already thousands of people like him from various nationalities in the same
situation. 

On Sundays, a day off in Cyprus, they wander in
groups around Eleftheria Square in Nicosia. Most of them work in cafés,
restaurants, construction, or as domestic staff, often illegally. The northern
migration route has nearly dried up since Turkey implemented measures — under
pressure from threats of EU sanctions — requiring those who want to study in
Cyprus to pay for a double visa. 

The flow of migrants has shifted to the island’s
southeastern tip, at Cape Greco. Migrants from Lebanon and Syria arrive there
in small boats. In calm seas, a small fishing boat can take 18 to 20 hours to
cover the approximately 185 kilometers separating the Lebanese port of Tripoli
from Cyprus. Most passengers are Syrians already refugees in Lebanon, fleeing
the country’s catastrophic economic and security situation, as well as
deportation measures back to Syria. The crossing costs $2,120, or $5,300 if a visa
is required. 

More and more Syrians 

This lucrative business does not guarantee
success, far from it. For those who manage to land in Cyprus, the road remains
long. “Syrians must wait 21 months for their case to be examined. When they
finally receive subsidiary protection (a one-year renewable residence permit
for two years), 98% receive financial aid, which is insufficient to
live on. Their status does not allow for family reunification,” explained Elizabeth Kassinis, director of Caritas Cyprus. 

Between January 1 and April 21, at least 50 boats
arrived in Cyprus, compared to only 10 during the same period in 2023. Nearly
3,000 Syrians applied for asylum between January and March of this year,
according to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR). Their numbers keep growing as the war in Lebanon continues. In
parallel, the European Union released a billion-euro ($1.06 billion) aid package to Lebanon in
May to help improve border control and prevent boats from departing from its
shores. 

Yet, the number of migrants continues to rise.
“As Europe closes its doors to migrants, they try their luck in Cyprus,”
observed Doros Polykarpou from Kisa, a migrant advocacy NGO. In his small
office, the scars of an explosion that damaged the walls and shattered windows
are still visible: “Probably far-right sympathizers who want to silence us.” He
recounted how his NGO successfully got the Cypriot government condemned on
October 8 by the European Court of Human Rights over the deportation of
two Syrians. 

“Cyprus has a serious problem with migrants”

The two men from Idlib in northwest Syria fled their war-torn country in
2016 to take refuge in Lebanon. Fearing deportation to Syria, they decided to
flee to Cyprus to seek asylum. In September 2020, a smuggler took them by boat
along with about 30 other migrants. However, the boat was intercepted by
Cypriot authorities, who immediately sent them back to Lebanon without
examining their asylum requests. The Strasbourg court condemned Cyprus, ruling
that multiple European conventions were violated in this case. Nicosia must pay
each of them $23,320 in damages
for moral harm. 

“Cyprus has a serious problem with migrants,”
explained a specialist who preferred to remain anonymous. Among all the
nationalities present, there is a first group comprising Africans, Asians,
Afghans, Palestinians, and Syrians, and a second group with Russians,
Ukrainians, Israelis, and Iranians. They do not all have the same status.
Wealthy migrants — the second group — are welcome on the island. They are
granted a residence permit in exchange for a minimum real estate investment of $318,000. The others, the poor, are discouraged from
staying: 96% of asylum requests are denied. 

Their only option is “voluntary return” to their
home country, an area where Cyprus excels, according to Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of
the European Commission, responsible for implementing the new Migration and
Asylum Pact. At the beginning of the year, Schinas praised Cyprus,
under President Nikos Christodoulides, as the “new European champion in migrant
returns.” 

—-

6.8 million
Syrian refugees worldwide

Some 6.8 million Syrians have left their country (according to the International Organization for Migration). 

Nearly the same number, 6.6 million, are displaced within the country, where 15.3 million people need humanitarian assistance. 

Most Syrian refugees live in neighboring countries, estimates the IOM: primarily Turkey (3.8 million), Lebanon (1.04 million), Saudi Arabia (823,000), Germany (707,000), and Jordan (698,000), with almost no prospects. 

Syria is one of the main countries of origin for asylum seekers in Switzerland.