EU island of Cyprus completes preparations for reception of refugees
The EU island republic of Cyprus has completed its preparations for a possible evacuation from Lebanon and Israel. Amidst the looming escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos told the semi-official Cypriot news agency CNA: "We can accommodate a large number of people, provided they can return to their home countries soon." This includes citizens of other EU countries and third-party states.
Kombos recalled that Cyprus had temporarily hosted around 60,000 people during similar crises in the Middle East, such as the 2006 Lebanon war. Beds have already been set up in schools and sanitary facilities prepared in the area of the port city of Larnaca.
Criticism came from the leader of the Turkish Cypriots in the Turkish-occupied north of the island, Ersin Tatar. He described the aid offer as irresponsible, saying it would make Cyprus a target for retaliation from the Middle East. In a statement, he accused Israel of genocide attempts and human rights violations in the Gaza war. Tatar criticized Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis for participating in these crimes through his policies. Cyprus' Foreign Minister dismissed the accusations as unfounded. The preparations, he said, were of a humanitarian nature.
The Foreign Minister mentioned that preparations for a large accommodation of people from other EU countries and third-party states are in place, due to the possible evacuation from Lebanon and Israel. Despite the criticism from the Turkish Cypriot leader, Kombos emphasized that the preparations are solely for humanitarian purposes, related to the preparations for the meeting.
