The influx of irregular migrants and asylum seekers’ applications are decreasing, Deputy Minister of Immigration Nikolas Ioannides said, presenting the budget of the Deputy Ministry before the House’s Budgetary Committee Monday.

The budget amounts to €55.84 million, of which €40.25 million. or 72% relate to regular expenses and €15.59 million or 28% development expenses, which focus on infrastructure projects, such as the upgrade of reception centers and digital systems.

In particular, operating expenses for reception and hospitality centres amount to €13,399,801 for 2025, while the construction projects under Interior Ministry reach €14,724,600.

Referring to legal migration the Deputy Minister said that there is an increase in residence permits in all categories except international protection beneficiaries.  He said once again that until October 2024 we had almost 9,000 repatriations. Asylum applications were 6,123 compared to 11,617 in 2023.

Ioannides noted that migration challenges are there and authorities are taking measures such as the upgrade of our infrastructure facilities and combat illegal migration.

He said that third country nationals who had been stranded in the buffer zone were transferred to centres and will be repatriated. He also explained how the authorities draft policies to assist the integration of migrants in the society.