There are over 14,000 pending asylum-seeker applications from Syrian nationals, the UNHCR confirmed on Tuesday as the EU Commission said any efforts to return Syrians to their home country must be done under the watch of the UN.
In a written response to MEP Costas Mavrides, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said “the commission is aware of the difficult circumstances Cyprus is experiencing as a result of regional tensions.”
Nonetheless she clarified that the matter of country designations falls under the wing of the Agency for Asylum, in cooperation with member states.
“The commission is aware that some member states have reported back and forth travelling of some Syrian applicants and beneficiaries.”
She was responding to Mavrides, who called for an urgent review into designating parts of Syria as safe so Cyprus can return Syrian nationals.
Johansson stressed that any steps to return Syrian nationals to their home country must be done under the watch of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to ensure dignified and structured procedures.
Cyprus is pushing for the EU to designate parts of Syria safe, which will allow it to send back a number of people who have sought refuge on the island.
Public information officer for the UNHCR Emilia Strovolidou said there are currently more than 14,000 pending asylum seeker applications from Syrian nationals.
These have accumulated prior to the government’s decision to suspend processing applications from Syrian individuals.
The move has prompted human rights experts to sound the alarm over the legality of the decision and have described it as a discriminatory decision.
Strovolidou said that as things currently stand, the UN’s stance is that there are no safe zones in Syria.
On Monday, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen told the Security Council that “Syria remains in a state of profound conflict, complexity and division.”
He warned the threat of regional conflict affecting Syria has not abated, particularly in the face of recent Israeli strikes on the war-torn country.
“We fully recognise the tremendous predicament that host countries face, and strongly call for them to be supported even more. We continue also to stress the importance of supporting Syrians who do choose to return voluntarily,” he said.
“At the same time, we also call for anti-refugee rhetoric and actions to end. Syrians must be protected wherever they are, and efforts must continue to create the conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified returns.”
Johansson specified the commission started discussions with UN agencies, in accordance with the conditions set by UNHCR, to work with host countries on a more structured approach to voluntary returns to regions in Syria which are safe, dignified and informed, while maintaining protection measures.
“To be able to sustain voluntary returns, it is necessary to ensure UNHCR independent monitoring of returns in Syria while strengthening support from the international community for humanitarian and early recovery programmes in Syria, in order to support those who choose to return home to Syria.”
