More than 100 failed asylum seekers have been repatriated from Malta since 2009 in 17 joint return operations financed by the EU border agency Frontex, Times of Malta has learnt. EU sources yesterday expressed surprise at Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s declaration at the recent EU summit that joint return operations by Frontex have still to start.

Dr Muscat had said that one of the top-priority decisions in next December’s summit was the start of return joint operations by Frontex.

In practice you also need the consent of the country of return to proceed

However, Frontex has been running these operations for the past five years. A spokesman said Malta had already taken part in 17 such operations, in which 113 asylum seekers, whose applications had been turned down, were flown back to African countries.

“The latest return operation coordinated by Frontex took place last August and Malta took part with nine other member states,” the spokesman said.

The operation was organised by Spain and 40 failed asylum seekers were returned to Nigeria from Malta. Apart from Spain and Malta, the mission picked up failed asylum seekers from Finland, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden.

“All returnees from Malta in these operations were Nigerian, except for 24 Ghanaian nationals,” the spokesman said. These joint operations are normally organised on the initiative of an individual member state in coordination with Frontex. Malta has so far never asked to be a lead member in organising a flight.

Apart from footing most of the costs of the flights and personnel involved, Frontex coordinates with the member states.

EU sources said that although Frontex was doing its part, the return of failed asylum seekers was a slow process and required a lot of planning.

Every person returned has to be issued with a so-called “individual return order” – a judicial or administrative decision made under the law of the member state.

“In practice you also need the consent of the country of return to proceed. You can’t just go to a country and leave migrants there.” Most of the irregular immigrants arriving in Malta are granted asylum status, as they normally originate from countries involved in civil wars such as Eritrea and Somalia.

The return process is often slowed down by lost travel documents and the non-cooperation of receiving countries.