Cyprus-Forum.com

[YFred]

Arrogance of migration department knows no bounds

CYPRUS has been a full member of the European Union since 2004 and in these five years there has been a noticeable improvement in the way many government departments treat members of the public. The service provided is better, more information is made available to people and government officers are much more helpful than they once were. Most state officers are no longer of the mentality that their role is to make life difficult for citizens.

One department at which the winds of change have yet to blow, after five years of EU membership, is Migration, which remains a bastion of arbitrariness and arrogance. Officials at the Migration Department, at which nothing has changed, still routinely abuse their powers, set traps for people and violate their basic rights. This is because it does not deal with EU citizens but with impoverished third country nationals who, in its view, have no rights. An immigrant whose visa has expired could be driven to the airport and put on a plane back to their country, without even being allowed to collect his or her belongings.

The case of the Filipina, reported by this paper yesterday, was a perfect illustration of power abuse by the Department. The woman was put on a plane back to the Philippines, just five days after she was told that her Greek Cypriot husband had applied for a divorce. The divorce proceedings were set for May 25, but the head of the Department decided that the wife did not have to attend as she could be represented by a lawyer.

The woman was arrested at her home a week ago and shown the divorce application at the detention centre where she was held before being deported. Her residence permit which expired in September was cancelled by the Department without informing her, she claimed. The Department insisted that it had sent a letter informing her of this on March 27. A third country national does not have the right to refuse to grant a divorce or to demand alimony, because her husband can just call the Migration Department and ask them to deport her, on the grounds that the marriage broke down.

“From the moment there is a disturbance in the family relationship, the permit can be cancelled,” said Migration boss Anny Shakalli, suggesting that her Department even has the authority to decide when a relationship is not working. As regards the case in question, Ms Shakalli was happy to assume the role of judge. “It doesn’t matter that they were living under the same roof, that doesn’t mean the relationship was working.”

This is a good indication of the arrogance of the Department which has been abusing its considerable powers with impunity for so long it cannot operate in any other way. Not even five years of EU membership could persuade Migration to recognise that even third country nationals should enjoy some basic rights.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009

[Raymanoff]

Well, we have to balance the migration since you morons let all the Syrians Asylum Seekers in...

please get lost.

[YFred]

Well, we have to balance the migration since you morons let all the Syrians Asylum Seekers in...

please get lost.

I say old chap awfully nice of you to make a valid comment.
So get stuffed you pesky Russian.

[runaway]

Well, we have to balance the migration since you morons let all the Syrians Asylum Seekers in...

please get lost.

"we"??? lol look who's talking. A miserable Russian who has migrated to south cyprus. go back to mama Russia and drink your vodka there moron.

[Raymanoff]

I love the way you start this thread and made a very racist comment yourself...

fucking pricks...

[YFred]

I love the way you start this thread and made a very racist comment yourself...

fucking pricks...

Fight fire with fire hey old boy. What?

[Get Real!]

I love the way you start this thread and made a very racist comment yourself...

fucking pricks...

Y-Fronts, exposed and wasted once again...

[YFred]

I love the way you start this thread and made a very racist comment yourself...

fucking pricks...

Y-Fronts, exposed and wasted once again...

You should be proud of the behaviour of your immigration department. Its in tune with all he other EU principles you are treating the TC with old boy. What?

Just checked with my Ukranian friend and he does not agree with me. He says the only good Russian is a dead Russian.

[paliometoxo]

where isent it live and kicking? probably 5000000000000000 times worse in north cyprus and turkey

[Hermes]

I love the way you start this thread and made a very racist comment yourself...

fucking pricks...

Y-Fronts, exposed and wasted once again...

You should be proud of the behaviour of your immigration department. Its in tune with all he other EU principles you are treating the TC with old boy. What?

Just checked with my Ukranian friend and he does not agree with me. He says the only good Russian is a dead Russian.

This isn't really a problem. After re-unification most of the remaining Anatolians will be able to do the menial jobs in Cyprus. After all, once Turkey has gone they won't be able to sit on their lazy arses all day watching MTV.