The number of asylum seekers has dropped considerably over the past two years, the interior ministry said on Tuesday citing data after the mayor of Nicosia claimed that migrants released from a temporary holding facility were being “dumped” onto the streets of the capital.

Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos said that people released from the Pournara migrant reception centre caused the capital to “fill up with migrants”.

He was in turn reacting to remarks by the interior minister, who had said the population in the Pournara facility was declining.

Effectively, the mayor suggested the population in Pournara was falling precisely because migrants were being let out on the streets of Nicosia.

But the ministry sought to rubbish the mayor’s claims. It said for instance that between 2022 and 2024, asylum applications overall declined by approximately 15,800.

At the same time, the number of returns went up by more than 5,000.

In 2024, the ministry said, migrant arrivals numbered 6,100 and returns 10,940. This placed the ratio of departures to arrivals at 179 per cent.

“The Pournara centre is the first reception point for asylum seekers, not a permanent accommodation facility,” the statement added.

“The fact that migrant arrivals have now been limited to about 300 a month is precisely the reason why Pournara has emptied out and has nothing to do with asylum seekers being diverted to Nicosia, as implied by the Nicosia mayor,” the ministry said.

It added that during the last two years police and labour ministry inspectors have intensified checks at workplaces, with sweeps of people illegally living or working in Cyprus. These people are arrested and then deported.

“Given that managing migration and dealing with illegal migration requires the participation of multiple departments, including local government authorities, Nicosia municipality is expected to likewise intensify checks within its jurisdictional boundaries,” the ministry said.

The number of asylum seekers has dropped considerably over the past two years, the interior ministry said on Tuesday citing data after the mayor of Nicosia claimed that migrants released from a temporary holding facility were being “dumped” onto the streets of the capital.

Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos said that people released from the Pournara migrant reception centre caused the capital to “fill up with migrants”.

He was in turn reacting to remarks by the interior minister, who had said the population in the Pournara facility was declining.

Effectively, the mayor suggested the population in Pournara was falling precisely because migrants were being let out on the streets of Nicosia.

But the ministry sought to rubbish the mayor’s claims. It said for instance that between 2022 and 2024, asylum applications overall declined by approximately 15,800.

At the same time, the number of returns went up by more than 5,000.

In 2024, the ministry said, migrant arrivals numbered 6,100 and returns 10,940. This placed the ratio of departures to arrivals at 179 per cent.

“The Pournara centre is the first reception point for asylum seekers, not a permanent accommodation facility,” the statement added.

“The fact that migrant arrivals have now been limited to about 300 a month is precisely the reason why Pournara has emptied out and has nothing to do with asylum seekers being diverted to Nicosia, as implied by the Nicosia mayor,” the ministry said.

It added that during the last two years police and labour ministry inspectors have intensified checks at workplaces, with sweeps of people illegally living or working in Cyprus. These people are arrested and then deported.

“Given that managing migration and dealing with illegal migration requires the participation of multiple departments, including local government authorities, Nicosia municipality is expected to likewise intensify checks within its jurisdictional boundaries,” the ministry said.

Responding to the interior ministry’s statement, the mayor issued a written reply emphasising the challenges Nicosia faces due to the ongoing migration issue. He acknowledged improvements in asylum application management, noting that steps had been taken to reduce processing delays. However, he highlighted that unresolved asylum cases and the presence of undocumented individuals remained significant issues.

The mayor posed several questions to the ministry, questioning whether accurate data on the residence of asylum seekers is being maintained, whether these residences comply with legal and health standards, and whether mechanisms exist to detect multiple claims using the same address.

He further pointed out that while Pournara’s decongestion was a positive development, it did not alter the reality of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers arriving over the last decade, with many remaining in the country illegally.

Highlighting Nicosia municipality’s efforts, the mayor said it had increased its actions to address overcrowding and substandard living conditions. These include health inspections and checks on food establishments and residential spaces. Special teams conduct dozens of weekly inspections in collaboration with the police.

The municipality also underscored its role as a key provider of integration services for migrants through its Multidimensional Centre and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with all relevant authorities. A follow-up meeting with justice and migration officials is scheduled for February 3 to discuss further action.

“The real situation on the ground is vastly different from what is described by the ministry,” the mayor concluded, calling for a holistic approach to address the migration issue.