Cyprus organises joint Frontex migrant return flight for the first time, sending 51 people home

Cyprus has for the first time organised a joint flight with Frontex for the forced return of migrants. The operation took place on 26 August, with 51 third-country nationals sent home.

The flight was prepared by the Civil Registry and Migration Department with the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection. Alongside Cyprus, the authorities of Greece and Bulgaria took part in the operation.

Of the 51 people, 35 were in the Republic of Cyprus without legal grounds for staying, while 15 more were handed over by the Greek authorities and one by the Bulgarian authorities.

Previously, the Cypriot police joined Frontex joint flights organised by other countries. This is the first time Cyprus has organised such a flight itself.

From the beginning of the year through 26 August, Cypriot authorities returned 6,027 third-country nationals to their countries of origin under voluntary and forced return procedures.