Migrants Forced To Wait Under Scorching Sun As Queues Form Outside Malta’s Overburdened Refugee Commissioner’s Office
Photos have surfaced showing queues of migrants waiting outside the Office of the Refugee Commissioner in Msida under the scorching sun.
“Everyday people already struggling are made to stand, or as most do, sit on the floor come scorching sun, wind, cold or rain,” sources told Lovin Malta.
The Office of the Refugee Commissioner has since issued a statement justifying why said migrants are made to wait outside.
“Due to social-distancing measures which were put in place throughout the past months, there is a limit on the number of people who can be physically present in the waiting room at any given time,” the Office of the Refugee Commissioner said.
A spokesperson for said office went on to say that applicants for international protection are only being seen by appointment, nonetheless, many people still show up without having one.
“The disproportionate pressure of migration on the country is taking its toll on different avenues of the migration process, including on the Office of the Refugee Commissioner which is currently dealing with an exorbitant number of applications for international protection,” the Office said.
The Home Affairs Ministry is reportedly in plans to convert the Office of the Refugee Commissioner into a Government Agency and will be moving said office to a larger premises later on this year.