Almost half the number of illegal migrants who applied for refugee status last year were granted humanitarian protection, figures given in Parliament yesterday show.

Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg told Jason Azzopardi (PN) that 1,060 applications for refugee status were made last year. Seven requests were granted and 481 migrants were granted humanitarian status.

In 2004, 859 applications for refugee status were made. Eight applications were upheld while humanitarian protection was granted to 548 migrants.

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