In Cyprus, the government intends to expand the areas where razor wire will be installed and begin work on its installation in Atienu. A barbed-wire fence and metal gates have already been installed near Astromeritis, Akaka and Peristerona, sparking debate about the need for new fencing. The Cypriot Interior Ministry insists that fences and razor wire are necessary to deter illegal migration. Critics claim that the barbed wire contributes to the division of society, and locals say that the fences hinder their movement. The razor wire fences that will be erected in Athiena will be installed on the outskirts of the village.
The government is having to deal with a rising rate of migration as 21,000 asylum seekers applied in 2022. Elsewhere, the government is trying to control the 180-kilometer buffer zone by hiring 300 officers to patrol the area along the razor wire.
Another tool touted as the key to curbing illegal migration and smuggling is a state-of-the-art surveillance system that will soon be deployed along the buffer zone. Last year, Cyprus purchased a surveillance system from Israel for about 28 million euros.