In the wake of a Channel 4 investigation revealing troubling instances of sexual harassment in Ayia Napa, Cyprus’s ministries are embroiled in a conflict over who should address human trafficking crimes. A Migration Deputy Ministry official candidly admitted to Parliament, “we do nothing on this issue,” highlighting the lack of coordination among the various governmental bodies involved.
Photo: in-cyprus.philenews.com
During a recent House Human Rights Committee hearing, officials from the Interior Ministry, Justice Ministry, and Migration Deputy Ministry struggled to delineate their roles in combating trafficking. Migration Deputy Ministry official Xenia Georgiadi stated that while her office coordinates efforts, it lacks an operational role, placing the primary responsibility on the police.
Photo: in-cyprus.philenews.com
Committee chair Irene Charalambidou expressed concern that the issue of trafficking should never have fallen under the Migration Deputy Ministry’s purview. She announced plans to re-evaluate the coordination structure and confirmed that both the migration deputy minister and justice minister would be summoned to Parliament for further discussions.
As the debate unfolded, MPs and other stakeholders pushed for the Justice Ministry to assume a more central role in coordinating anti-trafficking efforts. Justice Ministry legal officer Spyros Yiallouridis acknowledged his ministry’s involvement in a multi-agency trafficking group but refrained from commenting on whether it should take over coordination responsibilities, citing the matter as political.
MP Rita Superman described the shift of trafficking oversight from the Interior Ministry to the Migration Deputy Ministry as a significant error, arguing that such matters should be handled by the Justice Ministry. She pointed out that in Turkey, human trafficking falls under the Migration Ministry, which should not be the case in Cyprus. Trafficking, she insisted, is fundamentally a human rights issue, exacerbated by vulnerabilities related to migration.
As these discussions unfold, Labour Ministry representative Christina Mitidou reiterated that her ministry does not bear responsibility for trafficking. In light of the Channel 4 investigation, the committee is preparing to send a letter demanding clarification on inspections conducted before and after the video’s release.
In terms of law enforcement, police have reported that 30 individuals have been convicted over the past five years in trafficking cases involving either sexual or labour exploitation. Police Crime Combating Department assistant director Andreas Anastasiades shared that extensive checks were conducted at Ayia Napa establishments, with operations occurring across Cyprus. He outlined the number of operations executed in recent years: 26 in 2022, 37 in 2023, 33 in 2024, and 18 so far in 2025.
Despite these efforts, 30 trafficking cases remain pending in court. Anastasiades emphasised that police are taking the matter seriously, working in collaboration with Europol and other agencies to address trafficking more effectively.
Amid the scrutiny, Ayia Napa’s mayor, Christos Zannettou, labelled the incidents highlighted in the Channel 4 report as isolated, asserting that the municipality receives around 45,000 tourists daily, with over 10,000 people employed in the area. He acknowledged the need for investigations into the establishments mentioned in the video but maintained that such occurrences do not represent the norm.
He also pointed out that there are job advertisements from websites based in the Netherlands that promise work and accommodation, but often only offer a bed without proper living conditions. Zannettou noted that complaints regarding workers’ living conditions and other issues like noise pollution have been recorded, but these are not reflective of the broader situation.
The gender equality commissioner’s office faced criticism for its lack of response to the Channel 4 investigation. A representative of the office, Andreas Misos, stated that commissioner Josie Christodoulou condemns acts of sexual or labour exploitation but is currently abroad. MPs expressed frustration at her absence from committee meetings over recent months and suggested that she should have taken more proactive measures following the video’s release.
Charalambidou pointed out that the commissioner should have coordinated with police and relevant authorities to prepare a comprehensive report, a sentiment Misos deemed unrealistic, given Christodoulou’s lack of an institutional role.
NGOs have also expressed concern over their exclusion from coordination meetings related to trafficking. Paraskeui Tzeou, chair of Cyprus Stop Trafficking, noted that her organisation was not invited to multi-agency meetings, while Katerina Stefanou, founder of Step Up Stop Slavery, echoed similar sentiments regarding her exclusion from the December meeting.
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