Cyprus is expected to receive around €800 million from the European Union for the 2028-2034 period for migration, security and border management, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Monday.
The minister was speaking at the fourth meeting of the Monitoring Committees for the 2021-2027 Home Affairs Funds, where he said the allocation underlines the importance the EU attaches to these policy areas.
Ioannou said the committees play an important role in monitoring the implementation of fund programmes, as well as in planning, coordinating and managing the resources made available to Cyprus through the Home Affairs Funds.
He said the European Funds Directorate of the Interior Ministry supports the implementation of both European and national policies through the relevant programmes, which are shaped by decisions taken at EU and national level. A key priority, he added, remains the best possible use and maximum absorption of EU funding allocated to Cyprus.
For the 2021-2027 programming period, the European Commission has so far approved a total of €304 million for Cyprus, an increase of more than 70 per cent compared with the previous programming period. With national funding included, the total amount for the current period has already reached €375 million.
Ioannou said 95 projects have either been completed or are currently under way, with total commitments amounting to €271 million.
He also referred to the Commission’s approval of an additional €98 million for projects related to the effective management of migration. With the contribution of national resources, the additional amount rises to €105 million.
As a result, the total approved amount for Cyprus in the current programming period now stands at €480 million, the minister said.
Ioannou said the European Funds Directorate has also taken on additional responsibilities, including the signing and implementation of a grant agreement directly with the European Commission for the construction of the Limnes reception centre and the pre-removal centre in the Menogeia area.
The directorate is also coordinating Cyprus’ preparations for the implementation of the national action plan linked to the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which officially comes into force on 12 June 2026.
According to Ioannou, funding provided under the pact has already been allocated to programme projects aimed at meeting key migration-related needs and fulfilling obligations arising from the new EU framework.
Looking ahead to the 2028-2034 programming period, he said the European Funds Directorate, in the context of the current Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, has undertaken discussions within the ad hoc working group on justice and home affairs financial instruments regarding new fund regulation proposals.
The directorate has also participated in discussions on other proposed regulations linked to the next EU multiannual financial framework.
“For the 2028-2034 period, around €800 million is expected to be allocated to the Republic of Cyprus, exclusively for fund policy areas such as migration, security and border management,” Ioannou said, adding that this reflected the EU’s strong focus on these sectors.
Source: CNA
