Members of the Western Balkans subgroup of the Eurojust network for combating migrant smuggling paid a working visit ?? Friday to the ‘Pournara’ First Reception Center in Nicosia district.
According to a press release issued by the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection, the visit took place in the framework of the 4th Meeting of the subgroup, hosted in Larnaca on 29 and 30 October.
Eurojust, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, supports the coordination of judicial and prosecutorial authorities in cross-border cases of serious and organised crime.
The delegation was welcomed by officials from the Asylum Service and the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection. The members of the delegation were given a tour of the upgraded facilities and were informed about the daily operation of the Center, the infrastructure and the cooperation of the services operating there, it is noted.
Particular emphasis, it is added, was placed on the implementation by the Republic of Cyprus of the new procedures of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and on the decisive role of Pournara. They presented the use of the upgraded infrastructure for the control, registration and identification of new arrivals as well as the coordination of the competent authorities for the faster management of cases in the context of the new European requirements.
The briefing also included presentations by representatives of the Cyprus Police, Frontex, Europol and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on their activities at the Centre.
It is noted that the Eurojust network on migrant smuggling brings together specialist prosecutors and judicial officers from member states and third countries, with the aim of exchanging expertise and facilitating cooperation in specific cases.
“The visit was an opportunity to present the Cypriot experience in managing arrivals and implementing the new European framework, highlighting the importance of cooperation between field services and judicial and prosecutorial authorities for the most effective response to migrant smuggling networks,” the press release concluded.