8 EU states propose increased aid for Lebanon to ease refugee influx

The governments of eight European Union member states announced on Friday that the situation in Syria should be reassessed to facilitate the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

In a joint statement, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Poland called for a re-evaluation to find “more effective ways of handling” Syrian refugees attempting to enter EU countries.

The eight nations, which convened during a summit in Cyprus’s capital, noted that while Syria has not yet achieved complete political stability, the situation has “considerably evolved.”

Cyprus has recently experienced an increase in Syrian refugees arriving from Lebanon on unsafe boats.

Earlier this month, the EU announced a €1 billion ($1.06 billion) aid package for Lebanon to enhance border controls and reduce the influx of asylum seekers and migrants to Cyprus and Italy.

The eight countries urged the EU to further support Lebanon to “mitigate the risk of even greater flows from Lebanon to the EU.”

The joint statement emphasized that decisions about who can cross a member state’s borders should be made by the respective government, not by criminal networks involved in smuggling and human trafficking.

A Cypriot official clarified that reevaluating conditions in Syria would not necessarily lead to the deportation of Syrian refugees. Instead, refugees from areas designated as safe would lose allowances, benefits, and the right to work, discouraging others from coming to Cyprus.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to publicly discuss the proposal’s details.

The countries stressed their commitment to supporting Syrian refugees in accordance with international law and expressed hope that their discussions would prompt a broader debate within the 27-member EU on granting international protection to migrants.

In Lebanon, where anti-refugee sentiment has been rising, over 300 Syrian refugees returned to Syria earlier this week in a convoy.

Lebanese officials have long urged the international community to either resettle refugees in other countries or assist in their return to Syria.