72 irregular migrants were relocated from Malta to other EU countries on Wednesday, the Home Affairs Ministry said.

It did not say where they were flown to, or how many migrants remain in Malta's centres.

The ministry said the relocation was part of the voluntary solidarity mechanism established by the EU in June last year aimed at easing migration pressures on EU frontier countries.

The migrants will be able to continue the process for international protection in their new countries, the ministry said.  

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said in a statement that relocation was the most effective way how other European countries could ease the burden from frontier countries, especially Malta, given its small size and location. 

He said the government would continue to work on preventing migrant arrivals and deaths at sea, including cooperation with Libya, the point of departure of the trips at sea.

He said that over the past two years, the number of migrants who had been returned to their countries had increased while the number of arrivals was down substantially.

Migration will be among the top items on the agenda of talks when Prime Minister Robert Abela visits Libya this week.