Voice concerns over timing

The community advocacy group Syrians in Cyprus has cautiously welcomed the newly introduced “voluntary repatriation” initiative, while raising concerns over its timing, coinciding with letters sent to hundreds of Syrians announcing a review of their legal residency status.

“First of all, we welcome this initiative, which responds to the expressed will of part of the Syrian population, including some families with or without children, to return to their country,” the statement read. “However, we feel it necessary to express serious concerns and worries.”

The group expressed their particular concern about the timing of the announcement, as it coincides with the mass mailing of letters to hundreds of Syrians living in Cyprus requesting a review of their status after a year-long “freeze” on the process.

According to letters provided to the Cyprus Mail and signed by the Asylum Services, recipients were requested to appear at the respective office “in order to submit information essential to your claim for international protection.”

Phileleftheros reported on Wednesday that the letters had been sent to 600 Syrians. A day later, on Thursday, the meputy ministry of migration announced a ‘voluntary repatriation plan’ offering increased financial incentives for Syrian families leaving Cyprus.

“The voluntary nature of the programs is severely eroded when financial incentives are provided to financially distressed individuals,” the group stressed.

They added that this erosion “becomes even more pronounced when it is assumed that applications for international protection will be rejected or supplementary protection status withdrawn.”

The group referred to measures in the new scheme that allow applicants to apply for a special residence and work permit only after the rest of the family has left the Republic and the applicant has relinquished any existing international or supplementary protection status.

They stressed that for the vast majority of Syrians, the desire to return is not solely based on economic factors, such as financial hardship.

“And as a rule, such economic difficulties are not addressed by the payment of a lump sum, because these difficulties are systemic and not due to personal circumstances,” the group accentuated.

The group agreed with Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides’ statement on Thursday, in which he noted that the reconstruction of Syria was not limited to the restoration of damaged infrastructure but also the return of displaced Syrians to restart the economy.

“The threat to life is still a reality. Clashes are taking place in several areas, vast regions are mined, and there is general insecurity,” the group concluded, adding that despite the fall of Assad in December 2024, Syria continues to face humanitarian emergencies, with 90 per cent of the population currently living in poverty.

The new voluntary repatriation scheme had been introduced by the deputy ministry of migration on Thursday.

Primarily aimed at families, it offers financial incentives to those who agree to leave Cyprus, while allowing one parent to remain on a two-year work visa, extendable for an additional year.

Participation requires applicants to first withdraw their asylum claim or renounce their international protection status, effectively ending their legal stay as recognised refugees.

The ministry said the scheme aims both to reduce the number of Syrians residing in Cyprus and to support rebuilding lives in Syria. It will also be open to couples without children and is backed by EU funding.