The Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers, the Civil Protection Department and the Armed Forces of Malta will be benefiting from almost €19 million, some €14 million of which will be financed from EU funding, the Parliamentary Secretary for EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg said.

He said the responsible authority approved two projects for the Armed Forces of Malta, valued at €17 million - under the Internal Security Funds (ISF) programme 2014-2020 - aimed at ensuring the security for firearms and munitions at AFM and further upgrade to AFM’s Airwing.

These projects include:

• Improving the security of the ammo and explosive storage facilities at Fort Mosta – worth over € 702,000;

• The procurement of a third fixed wing maritime patrol aircraft – worth over €16 million.  

Another project will be implemented by the Civil Protection Department – under the Internal Security Fund 2014-2020 and worth over €825,000. This project aims to update and replace Hazardous Material (Hazmat) equipment and to provide training for the Hazmat personnel.

The project is entitled ‘Bolstering of the Hazmat section within the Civil Protection Department’.

The remaining funds are going to be utilised to provide security services at Awas open centres. The project will be implemented by Awas – under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 and the project is worth over €708,000.

The project is entitled: ‘Provision of Security Services in Awas Units’.

Dr Borg said more projects will be approved in the coming weeks under the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), which aim to consolidate and strengthen Malta’s security mechanisms, as well as facilitate integration of third country nationals.