House President Annita Demetriou urged the EU to establish a common and coherent migration policy for its member states in response to the exploitation of migrants, addressing on Thursday the Plenary Session of the Cyprus Parliament. "The Mediterranean has turned into a watery grave for souls, and the responsibilities lie with all parties involved, including smugglers, as well as all states and institutions that exploit migration, resulting in the lack of physical security and human rights for migrants," said the President of the Parliament. She was referring to the victims of the tragic shipwreck off the coast of Pylos, Greece, where at least 78 people lost their lives, and hundreds are still missing, as it is estimated that the passengers of the vessel exceeded 500. "As the hours pass and rescue operations continue, hopes of finding additional survivors outside of the 104 who managed to escape alive from this unspeakable but sadly recurring tragedy are diminishing," she noted. She added that the immediate and swift intervention of Greek authorities for the rescue, care, and support of the survivors is of utmost importance during these difficult hours for the missing individuals and the families of the victims, while stating that migration remains an unresolved problem requiring targeted European policy and action. In memory of the shipwreck victims, a minute of silence was observed in the plenary session of the Parliament.

Source: Cyprus News Agency