Restrictive measures introduced in Cyprus to control the spread of coronavirus have put unregistered couples, where only one is Cypriot or permanently resident on the island, in a difficult situation. The Commissioner for Human Rights, Maria Styliana-Lottidi, received many complaints from this population about refusals to grant their permanent partners special permission to enter Cyprus.

In a report sent to the ministers of health and foreign affairs, the ombudsman called for measures to be taken to allow those who maintain stable, albeit unregistered, relations with citizens or residents of Cyprus to enter from abroad and can prove this. Stylianu-Lottidi noted that at the end of October the European commission issued a statement in which it actually gave such opportunity to unmarried couples – which, however, has not been taken into account in Cyprus yet.

The Ombudsman suggested that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consider the option of supplementing the Infections Decree 2020 by including a category of partners that have a stable long-term relationship, properly confirmed.