Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis on Monday said it would be ineffective to adopt a nationwide anti-racism strategy, despite being urged to do so by the EU Commission, ombudswoman’s office, MPs and NGOs.
The discussion unfolded at the House human rights committee where MPs eyed the EU anti-racism action plan for 2020-2025. Committee chair and Akel MP Irene Charalambides said it was discussed in light of the racism and xenophobia issues which are on the rise.
“People who are trying to earn a living” are attacked, she said referring to delivery drivers, who have increasingly become victims to a spate of attacks primarily in Limassol.
Hartsios said the EU encourages member states to adopt a strategy against racism, but this is not binding. He specified Cyprus is a country which has adopted and continues to take measures against racism.
“The changes which unfolded and those spearheaded are essentially an action plan, even if it has not been adopted as such.”
Though he told MPs he agrees with the philosophy of an action plan, this would not be effective as there is fragmentation and more than 1000 bodies dealing with the broader issue of racism.
Deputy police chief Ioannis Georgiou specified there were 11 cases of attacks against delivery drivers this year, for which 18 people have been arrested.
Last month, Hartsiotis put the number of attacks at 18. The discrepancy in numbers was not immediately clear.
Georgiou however said 12 of the suspects are between the ages of 18 to 36, while there are two minors suspected, aged 14 and 16.
Five cases are before court, while another six are being investigated.
He specified not all attacks had a racist motive, as some concern theft or robbery.
Experts have rebuffed this argument to the Cyprus Mail previously, highlighting that delivery drivers are being targeted precisely because of their race. “We don’t see general attacks on Cypriot drivers or broader motorbike drivers,” professor of sociology, social sciences and law at the University of Nicosia Nicos Trimikliniotis said earlier this month.
The underlying factor is that they’re migrant workers.
Deputy head of the European Commission representation in Cyprus Nikolaos Isaris, said Cyprus was one of the three countriess (along with Bulgaria and the Netherlands) which did not participate in the targeted stakeholder consultation for the EU’s anti-racism action plan.
“The EU Commission encouraged member states to adopt action plans.”
Melina Triggidou from the Ombudswoman’s office said a cohesive legal framework and national strategy for human rights are tools to prevent and fight racism.
Nonetheless, adopting an action plan against racism cements the government’s commitment for zero tolerance.
UNHCR representative Olga Komiti underlined it would be good practice to have an action plan. In the past four years, there has been an increase in crimes with a racist incentive and it is important to see prosecutions as a result.
Meanwhile, Elena Nicolaou from the attorney-general’s office specified there were challenges in proving crimes involved racism.
“Fighting issues of racism, intolerance and racist crimes are a priority for the government,” Hartsiotis said.
Hartsiotis underlined there are provisions in the law that call for tougher sentences if racist and xenophobic motives can be proved. There has also been a special unit setup within the police force, which has also adopted bias indicators by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to facilitate investigations and shed light on the motives and circumstances of such cases.
He added police’s reaction has been immediate, while the deputy ministry of migration said they were concerned over the increase in violent incidents.
The education ministry told MPs that implementing an action plan for combating racism in primary and secondary is compulsory since 2018 however this is not properly implemented “and we’re working on it.”
In 2023 there were 547 incidents dealing with issues of discrimination, racism, culture, religion, sexual orientation and appearance, according to the education ministry.
