Another group of rejected asylum seekers who arrived in Malta irregularly were returned to their country of origin through a return operation coordinated by the Malta Police Immigration Section. The return of these people was carried out by means of a flight departing from Malta.
Preparations for the return of these people took place after the asylum process was concluded and it was determined that these people were not eligble for international protection in Malta. The migrants all originate from outside the European Union and arrived in Malta irregularly by boat in 2020.
The return of irregular migrants is a result of the ongoing investment in the asylum process that is being done by the Ministry for Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement. This investment is needed to reduce delays in the process and increase the authorities’ efforts specifically on returns.
The return of persons who do not need protection does not depend solely on the work of the Maltese authorities, including the Malta Police, the Ministry for Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement, and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
In fact, the return of persons who are illegaly residing in EU territory can only be done with the approval of the country of origin. In the absence of identification documents, the authorities in the country of origin are expected to identify these persons as nationals of that same country. Once the identification process is completed, a travel document has to be issued from the country of origin before the return can take place.
During the flight, the migrants were escorted by police officers and a medical team. This return was made in full compliance with the protocols related to COVID-19, including the necessary tests for all passengers.
A substantial part of the costs related to this operation were covered by European Union funds dedicated to return operations from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
