247 Refugees Relocated From Malta Since 2021 And Minister Says Figure Could Increase
Almost 250 refugees have been relocated to other EU member states since the start of 2021.
Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri revealed that 247 people were relocated between January 2021 and July 2022 following a parliamentary question from Carm Mifsud Bonnici.
However, he said that the figure is expected to increase following a solidarity agreement and other bilateral agreements.
Malta had seen an increase in asylum seeker arrivals over the last few years, with the number of sea arrivals reaching 3,406 and 2,281 in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
That number dropped to 832 in 2021 and has dropped even further in 2022, with just one arrival recorded in the first six months of the year.
The drop has coincided with the government’s hardline stance against asylum seekers, with the country regularly facing accusations from NGOs that it is breaching regulations, both for refusing them entry and assistance when around Maltese waters, and for coordinating with the Libyan coastguard to return them back to the country.
Malta is also undergoing an operation to curb irregular migration and has arrested and deported over 200 people in the last few months after they were found to be living in the country without the correct documentation.
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