Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou said that approximately pound 800 million is expected to be allocated to the Republic of Cyprus for the 2028-2034 period specifically for the policy areas covered by the Funds, such as migration, security and border management, underscoring the EU’s emphasis on these sectors.
At the same time, Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection Dr. Nikolas Ioannides said that that Cyprus must ensure not only the preservation but also the increase of funds allocated for migration.
The ?inisters were addressing on Monday the 4th Monitoring Committee for the Home Affairs Funds held in Nicosia.
Ioannou said the Committees play a crucial role in effectively overseeing the implementation of the Funds’ programmes and in the proper planning, coordination and programming of the resources allocated to Cyprus under the Home Affairs Funds.
The Directorate of European Funds at the Interior Ministry, he explained, advances implementation of both European and national policies through strategic planning, as reflected in the relevant programmes decided at European and national levels. A core priority for the Directorate remains optimal utilisation and maximum absorption of the funds provided by the European Commission to Cyprus, said Ioannou.
Regarding the 2021-2027 programming period, Ioannou said the European Commission has approved a total allocation of pound 304 million to Cyprus so far – an increase of more than 70% compared with the previous programming period. With national co-financing included, the total for the current period already amounts to pound 375 million.
In implementation of the current programming period’s actions, he added, 95 projects have been completed or are underway, with total committed funds amounting to pound 271 million.
Equally significant, Ioannou noted, is the Commission’s approval of an additional pound 98 million for projects addressing effective management of migration. With the contribution of national resources, the total additional amount reaches pound 105 million, he remarked.
Consequently, for the current programming period the total approved amount for Cyprus stands at pound 480 million, Ioannou said.
Referring to the work of the Directorate of European Funds, he said it has taken on additional responsibilities beyond its core duties. These include signing and implementing a grant agreement directly with the European Commission to deliver the ambitious projects for the ‘Limnes’ Reception Centre and the Pre-Removal Centre in the Menogeia area, as well as coordinating Cyprus’s preparations for implementation of the EU’s National Action Plan under the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which comes into force on 12 June 2026.
The Directorate has already allocated the Pact funds to programme projects to meet pressing migration needs and fulfil obligations arising from the Pact, said Ioannou.
Ioannou reiterated that the estimated pound 800 million for 2028-2034, earmarked for migration, security and border management, highlights the EU’s prioritisation of these policy areas.
On his part, Ioannides, said that Cyprus must ensure not only the preservation but also the increase of funds allocated for migration, with the greater part of expenditures covered by European financing.
In his address, Ioannides said the session provides a substantive opportunity to review programme progress, the use of European resources and the practical outcomes of projects being implemented. For the Deputy Ministry, he added, the Home Affairs Funds are a key tool for strengthening the asylum, reception, migration and return system.
Cyprus, as a frontline member state, has increased and ongoing needs in these areas, Dr. Ioannides stressed, noting that European funding plays a decisive role in turning these needs into concrete interventions with measurable results.
Dr. Ioannides said that two significant interventions for the national reception system where scheduled to be presented at the conference, the construction of the Reception Centre and the Pre-Removal Centre at ‘Limnes,’ as well as the upgrade of the Pournara First Reception, Sorting, Accommodation and Identification Centre (FRONTEX-style First Reception Centre).
Regarding the ‘Limnes’ project he said, construction of the Reception Centre with a capacity of 1,000 people is underway and is expected to be completed in September of this year; it will substantially enhance the capacity for dignified accommodation of asylum seekers and help relieve pressure on urban areas. At the same time, the establishment of the Pre-Removal Centre, which has already begun operation, strengthens the capacity for more organised management of return procedures, he added.
Similarly, Ioannides said, the upgrade of the Pournara Reception, Sorting, Accommodation and Identification Centre is an important intervention to adapt the national reception system to new requirements, as procedures provided for by the EU’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum will be implemented at the Centre.