Nearly 900 foreigners in Malta were issued with removal orders over the past two years but only some 200 were actually deported, according to figures obtained by the Times of Malta.
In 2014 and 2015, a total of 661 people arriving by boat were issued with removal orders and another 223 persons were served with a return decision. Of these, only 222 were deported.
It is not known how many of these people who were not deported actually remained in Malta. Such persons do not enjoy the benefits afforded to those who qualify for international protection.
Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela explained that, along with other EU countries, Malta shared the problem of having poor bilateral relations with a number of African countries.
“We do have a problem with return decisions,” Mr Abela told this newspaper.
“Basically, some of the countries of origin just do not respond. When a return decision is taken, Malta requests the travel documents from the country of origin but we are ignored.”
Many of these are West African countries, barring Nigeria and Ghana which cooperated. It was only recently that Malta began to build relationships with the migrants’ countries of origin.
“We have never, for instance, signed a memorandum of understanding with Somalia when we’ve been receiving Somali migrants for ages. If we don’t have bilateral relationships with the countries of origin, issuing return decisions is futile.”
However, migrants from Somalia do qualify for international protection due to the state of their country and the fact that it has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
Basically, some of the countries of origin just do not respond
In large West African countries, economic activity is centred in certain areas only, leaving others struggling against poverty. This would act as a push factor for migrants to leave, although not all would qualify as refugees.
At EU level, member states were trying to intensify cooperation with African states to improve return prospects. Some EU countries share good relationships with certain third world countries but not with others. For example, contrary to Malta, the Netherlands enjoys a good relationship with Senegal, Mr Abela pointed out.
EU home affairs ministers have also lobbied for the involvement of the EU’s border agency Frontex as a mediator.
“We proposed that, when it comes to return decisions, the process would be coordinated at EU level rather than rest solely upon existing bilateral arrangements between a member state and a third country.”
Frontex’s response was that the agency was already involved in various operations and could not handle yet another one. It highlighted that it depended on member states for its resources and has no central resources of its own.
“During the Council of Home Affairs Ministers, we discussed the importance of sending a message to economic migrants. Returns need to be quick and efficient.
“We need to send the message that, if you’re not a political migrant, don’t come to Europe because you will be deported.”