Unutilized Funds of €31 Million from the Refugee Integration Fund Returned to the State

According to the President of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees, Nikos Kettiros, significant funds amounting to €31 million from the Refugee Integration Fund (RIF) were not absorbed in 2025 and have been returned to the state treasury. This phenomenon is not new, as over the past five years, the total amount of unabsorbed funds has reached €210 million. Mr. Kettiros emphasized that these funds could have been used to meet the needs of the refugee community. The non-absorption of funds has sparked discussions about the effectiveness of the RIF and the ability of beneficiaries to submit applications for subsidies in a timely manner. Mr. Kettiros mentioned that AKEL had proposed the removal of time restrictions for submitting applications, an initiative that did not receive the support of other parties. The issue was discussed in the Committee on Refugees, where the need to improve the absorption of RIF funds was highlighted, in order to better serve the needs of refugees. The return of €31 million to the state represents a significant amount that could have been used to support the refugee population. The discussion focused on the need to facilitate access to the RIF's subsidy programs and to strengthen information about the application procedures. The committee is expected to consider further measures to address the problem of unabsorbed funds.