Cyprus has the highest percentage of asylum seekers in the European Union, with the number of refugees having reached the threshold of 4% of the country’s population. In other European states, the figure does not exceed 1 per cent, said government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos.

The official said the migration problem is one of the main challenges for the Cypriot government. The country objectively lacks the capacity to accommodate such a large number of asylum seekers, but has been criticized for failing to manage the flow of refugees, which is “purposefully coordinated by Turkey”.

Since January 1 alone, 888 illegals have entered the country, mostly from Syria and African countries. Most of the migrants arriving illegally in Cyprus are young (25-35 year old) able-bodied and family-less men. As a consequence, there are financial costs, to the extent that the authorities lack funds to support needy citizens and legally residing foreigners in Cyprus, as well as demographic changes.