Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime

The report examines the intersection of the Cyprus conflict and migration, highlighting how the island's territorial division and communal citizenship regime create systemic barriers for refugees and migrants. It analyzes the securitization of the Green Line, the lack of a formal asylum system in northern Cyprus, and the discriminatory nature of the Republic of Cyprus's citizenship laws, which assign individuals to ethnic communities. The author argues that these conflict-driven structures exacerbate the vulnerability of migrants and recommends revising the citizenship regime as part of peace negotiations.

• The Republic of Cyprus (RoC) citizenship regime is based on a 1960 Constitution that divides citizens into two mutually exclusive ethnic groups: Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots. This system requires individuals who do not fit these categories to opt into one, and since 1963, naturalizations have occurred into the Greek-Cypriot community by default.
• Migration control in the RoC is securitized around the Green Line, with authorities consistently categorizing asylum seekers arriving from the north as 'illegal migrants'. This labeling implies that those crossing from the occupied areas are less genuine claimants for protection.
• Northern Cyprus lacks a regulated domestic asylum system, leaving the UNHCR to examine claims. Asylum seekers in the north are effectively treated as migrants without government support or guaranteed access to work and education.
• The RoC's migration policy exhibits a sharp class divide: while unskilled workers from the global south face exploitation and arbitrary detention, a 2016 naturalization scheme grants citizenship after three years to investors who invest 2 million Euro in infrastructure or business.
• The far-right party ELAM has influenced public discourse by linking migration to the Cyprus conflict, calling for the closure of Green Line checkpoints to prevent the 'infiltration of terrorists' and 'illegal migration'.
• Integration for migrants in the RoC is hindered by a lack of long-term regularity and the 'ghettoization' of education. While 'Zones of Educational Priority' (ZEP) schools provide extra funding for disadvantaged pupils, they often lead to effective segregation as local parents move their children to other schools.
• The existence of UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) creates 'zones of territorial exception' where jurisdiction over refugees is unclear. A case study of refugees arriving in 1998 showed they were stranded for nearly 20 years due to conflicting responsibilities between the UK and the RoC.
• Since 2015, there has been a shift in migration routes, with some boats landing directly on the southern coast rather than in the north. Additionally, the RoC's 2016 offer to accommodate 300 Syrian families was criticized for being discriminatory because it preferred those of the Christian Orthodox faith.

APA

Demetriou, O. (n.d.). Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/ee8d4c16-5a85-4463-96ef-5fec7a311a97/Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime 2019.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Demetriou, Olga. Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/ee8d4c16-5a85-4463-96ef-5fec7a311a97/Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime 2019.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Demetriou |first1=Olga |title=Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/ee8d4c16-5a85-4463-96ef-5fec7a311a97/Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime 2019.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{demetrioundmigration, author = {Demetriou, Olga}, title = {{Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/ee8d4c16-5a85-4463-96ef-5fec7a311a97/Migration into the Cyprus conflict and the Cypriot citizenship regime 2019.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }