Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou had the opportunity to inspect the ongoing asylum procedures and the upgrade works that have started at the "Pournara" First Reception Centre in Kokkinotrimithia, during his visit to the Centre on Tuesday.
According to a statement by the Interior Ministry, during the visit, Ioannou had the opportunity to meet with officials of the Asylum Service, who informed him about the flow of the necessary asylum and examination procedures for migrants inside the Centre, while he also spoke with officials of the Cyprus Police's Aliens and Immigration Unit and other services, such as the Ministry of Health, who are stationed at the Centre and are also involved in the procedures.
It is added that the aim of the meeting was to find ways to improve the procedures so that the examinations can be completed promptly, especially for persons whose asylum applications are manifestly unfounded.
The statement added that the Interior Minister subsequently inspected the upgrade works of the "Pournara" First Reception Centre, which are being implemented with funding from the European Commission, amounting to around pound 22 million and directly awarded to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Greece, and are expected to be completed towards the end of 2023, including the purchase of prefabricated housing units, the purchase of equipment, as well as the maintenance of existing infrastructure.
It is noted that the upgrading of both the "Pournaras" Centre and the other structures currently being rolled out by the Ministry of Interior, aims to improve asylum procedures and contribute to a more effective management of migration.
Ioannou later visited the guards outpost in Kokkinotrimithia, with whom he discussed the issues of surveillance of the Green Line, the statement concluded.
In addition, the European Commission in a press release published at its website today said that the blueprint to upgrade the "Pournara" First Reception Centre foresees the extensive renovation of the first reception procedures' area, offering a substantial increase in accommodation capacity with 1,184 additional places, and the development of adequate quarantine areas.
It is added that the construction plan ensures the protection of the hosted populations with respect to age, gender, and vulnerability criteria, as well as the use of environmentally friendly materials that guarantee the sustainable and long-term functioning of the facilities and lead to more safety and security for residents and employees.
Alongside the reconstruction of the Pournara Centre, the Commission notes that it has granted Cyprus approximatively pound 67 million, including for the construction of a new second-line reception centre in Limnes, which will accommodate applicants for international protection and is expected to be operational by 2025, adding 1,000 places to the country's reception capacity.
It is also noted that the upgrades to the Kofinou Reception Centre, which provide high-quality capacity for 150 residents in more than 70 units, were financed by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
Source: Cyprus News Agency