Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria return migrants on a Frontex flight for the first time

On 26 August, Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria conducted a joint operation to return foreign nationals residing illegally in their territories for the first time: 51 people were sent back to their home countries on a single flight supported by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex. Cyprus returned 35 of them, Greece 15 and Bulgaria one.

The flight was organised by the Cyprus Migration Department with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the competent migration authority. The group consisted mainly of Bangladeshi nationals: the charter flight took them to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Since the beginning of the year, 6,027 third-country nationals have left Cyprus — voluntarily or forcibly. Around 70% of returns remain voluntary. Last year, a record 12,029 foreign nationals left the island: there were approximately five departures for every arrival.

At the same time, arrivals are declining. By early August, 818 people had entered the island illegally, compared with 1,120 during the same period last year. Compared with the peak year of 2022, the flow of irregular arrivals has fallen by 92%.