Asylum granted to more than half of last year's applicants
File photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
Nine boats carrying 1,579 asylum seekers arrived in Malta last year, with applications for asylum reaching 1,891, the National Statistics Office said.
In a statement issued on the occasion of World Refugee Day, the NSO said that a sharp increase in arrivals of asylum seekers was recorded last year - 1,532 more than in 2010.
Of the nine boats that reached the Maltese Islands, more than half arrived in March. Most of the irregular migrants were Africans (96.1 per cent).
During 2011, the Office of the Refugee Commissioner received 1,891 requests for international protection – an increase of 1,715 when compared to 2010. Just under 60 per cent of were filed in April.
A total 87.7 per cent of applicants originated from Africa with more than a quarter having Somali citizenship (27.4 per cent). A further 11.3 per cent were Asians and nearly two-thirds were males aged between 18 and 34.
During the year under review, the Office of the Refugee Commissioner processed 1,606 applications, of which 884 were positive ones.
A majority of the positive decisions were granted in the form of subsidiary protection (814) while 70 applicants were granted refugee status. There were also 722 applications for asylum, or 45 per cent, that were rejected.
A total 46 per cent of the people granted positive decisions were Somalis, while 28.6 per cent were from Eritrea.
Residents registered in Open Centres and other institutional households that hosted irregular migrants decreased by 35.3 per cent when compared to 2010, and numbered 1,289.
More than half the people living in Open Centres resided at Hal Far, while a further 30.8 per cent were living in Marsa. 213 children were among those living in these institutions.
The NSO said that last year, 1,728 people were found to be illegally present in Malta. A majority, or 91.4 per cent, were Africans, while 6.5 per cent were Asians (mainly of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin).
Another two per cent were Europeans (mostly from Ukraine).
A total of 159 third-country nationals, including the 34 Europeans, who were found to be illegally resident in Malta, were returned to their country of origin.
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Louise Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 21:22
May I just recall that when the present Refugee Commissioner was appointed, Dr Tonio Borg, then minister for home affairs, introduced him to the press as “a former Jesuit”?
Lucky Okocha Achebe
Jun 19th 2012, 19:18
A total 46 per cent of the people granted positive decisions were Somalis, while 28.6 per cent were from Eritrea.
That is why more than 90% of this years arrivals are from those countries.
Louise Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 17:15
“ … last year 1,728 people were found to be illegally present in Malta… 91.4 per cent, were Africans, while 6.5 per cent were Asians… A total of 159 third-country nationals, including the 34 Europeans, who were found to be illegally resident in Malta, were returned to theircountry of origin.”
So 1728 – 159 = 1569 were found to be illegally present in Malta and are still illegally present in Malta. Is this the sign of a hands-on government? The Prime Minister is now directly responsible for home affairs. What is he going to do about it? Is he going to make sure that law and order prevail in this country?
Louise Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 17:13
Every word, every press release, every number that comes out of UNHCR is a call for the numbers to increase.
Louise Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 17:12
Malta is the European country which (as a proportion to its population) grants refugee status and subsidiary protection to most. There are credible indications that the Refugee Commissioner has been over-generous in giving these privileges to economic immigrants. Nigerian Mr Lucky Okocha Achebe has written that the Refugee Commissioner has given subsidiary protection to the nephew of the president of Somaliland (not a country at war) and to the son of an official in the Presidency of Eritrea (hardly a persecuted person). He also told us that the Refugee Commissioner has given refugee status to Ethiopians passing for Eritreans. In the meantime Somali Mr Ahmed Mohammed wrote about Eritreans: “Here (in Malta) they are favoured because they are in laws with JRS”. See http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120531/local/migrants-boat+.422063
Mr Lucky Okocha Achebe has written in these columns: “Half of the pledges made by Europeans last year were failed. Because all Somalians and Eritreans refused to be resettled in Spain, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, Lativia and other east European countries.” Of course, they prefer to go to the US or Germany or Sweden and they wait until they get lucky. See
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120607/local/migration-malta-calls-for-solidarity-review-of-dublin-treaty.423240
Mr phil sam
Jun 19th 2012, 15:59
Have all these duly found employment and therefore non reliant on the country ?.
Colin Stanley
Jun 19th 2012, 15:40
I cannot understand how ONLY 1728 people were found to be illegally present in Malta, we believe what we want ,not what we are told. anyway, so what is happenning with these 1728?
Ivan M. Dingli
Jun 19th 2012, 15:23
'A total of 159 third-country nationals, including the 34 Europeans, who were found to be illegally resident in Malta, were returned to their country of origin.'
Important to note that all the illegal Europeans were returned to their country of origin while only 125 out of the remaining 1694 from the other countries have been returned to their country of origin!! So, i ask, what is keeping the authorities from sending them back?
John Portelli
Jun 19th 2012, 15:23
This is utterly insane.
stephen koludrovic
Jun 19th 2012, 14:54
I suppose one should multiply these figures by 10 to get the approx amount of 10 years arrivals. which would still bring us to 16,000 in total.
Charles W. Sammut
Jun 19th 2012, 13:52
We have the dubious distinction of having become every illegal immigrants prime destination in the southern Mediterranean. And we are in no risk of having that distinction being taken away from us by any other EU country. Well done indeed.
anthony sultana
Jun 19th 2012, 13:43
Every tree grow bit by bit ,but when it reach maturity it will be very strong tree. The same thing is going to happen with the refuges in Malta.
Louise Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 13:35
Malta is the European country which (as a proportion to its population) grants refugee status and subsidiary protection to most. There are credible indications that the Refugee Commissioner has been over-generous in giving these privileges to economic immigrants.
Nigerian Mr Lucky Okocha Achebe has written that the Refugee Commissioner has given subsidiary protection to the nephew of the president of Somaliland (not a country at war) and to the son of an official in the Presidency of Eritrea (hardly a persecuted person). He also told us that the Refugee Commissioner has given refugee status to Ethiopians passing for Eritreans. In the meantime Somali Mr Ahmed Mohammed wrote about Eritreans: “Here (in Malta) they are favoured because they are in laws with JRS”. See
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120531/local/migrants-boat+.422063
Mr Lucky Okocha Achebe has written in these columns: “Half of the pledges made by Europeans last year were failed. Because all Somalians and Eritreans refused to be resettled in Spain, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, Lativia and other east European countries.” Of course, they prefer to go to the US or Germany or Sweden and they wait until they get lucky. See
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120607/local/migration-malta-calls-for-solidarity-review-of-dublin-treaty.423240
Pippo De Marco
Jun 19th 2012, 18:35
Lucky ? - I'll say he is !
But if what he says is true, then anyone who REFUSES to be re-settled in a safe country that is willing to receive them, should expect to be forcibly re-settled or repatriated.
And if the costs of re-settlement are being paid by us, the long suffering taxpayers, then can I please join the queue to be re-settled in the Bahamas or Bermuda ? - It was a bit chilly here last winter.
Well, as they say in Africa, if you don't demand, then you don't get.
Lucky Okocha Achebe
Jun 19th 2012, 20:02
@Pippo De Marco....It is true. many of my somali and eritrean friends refused to go to the poor european countries. and some somalis refused to go to the USA.
We all have signed to be resettled to wherever, when we had our interview for our asylum applications. Thus resettlement is supposed to be an obligation since we agreed and signed. But practically that was not the case. I think the problem is; UNHCR is giving those people second chances rather than reporting them to the authorities. In that case their protection can't be revoked for further decisions. the concerned authority should work with the unhcr to avoid these waste of resource (opportunity).
Please choose the reason of your report below: