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.
Read more in the Times of Malta.