Frontex anti-immigration patrols in the waters between Libya, Malta and Italy, have been delayed by technical hitches between participating states.

The patrols were due to have started at the beginning of this month, but no fresh date has been set yet.

The patrols by the EU's border control agency were this year supposed to cover nine months, following the approval of a bigger budget for Frontex.

Last week, Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni said that joint Italian-Libyan patrols within Libyan waters would start on May 15.

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