Malta had over 4,200 pending asylum applications at the end of 2019, putting it in second place in the EU in terms of the percentage increase of undecided cases compared to the previous year.
The statistics emerge from a report by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), which showed that asylum applications in Malta doubled last year over 2018. This meant Malta was second in the EU for the percentage increase in applications.
The figures showed there were 738,425 asylum applications across the EU in 2019 – up by 11% compared to 665,920 in 2018.
Malta had a 92% rise in asylum applications: 4,085 compared to 2,130 in 2018. The top country of origin was Sudan.
Spain was top of the list with a 118% increase in asylum seekers, from 54,050 in 2018 to 117,795 in 2019.
A look at the pending asylum cases showed that Malta also placed second, after Croatia, with a 111% increase between 2018 and 2019. By the end of 2019, there were 4,260 pending applications, compared to 2,020 at the end of 2018.
A spokeswoman for the Home Affairs Ministry said the data confirmed that Malta continued to experience disproportionate pressure caused by irregular migration.
The government is fully committed to address this situation through a holistic approach
“In 2019, Malta registered the most notable increase in applications for asylum among those member states which received the highest number of applications. The situation has led to inevitable pressure on the country’s backlog of pending claims for asylum and the migrants’ reception facilities.”
The government said it is fully committed to address this situation through a holistic approach, which also includes the strengthening of the institution responsible for receiving applications and examining cases.
Following amendments to the law enacted in May, the Office of the Refugee Commissioner is now being converted into a state agency to be in a better position to respond to the demands in the field, she said.
The setting up of the International Protection Agency would mean increased resources and better conditions to attract human resources to work in this field, she added.
She said the government was determined to strengthen accelerated procedures for asylum seekers originating from safe countries of origin. Malta has an excellent relationship with EASO, which is supporting the country to reduce the backlog of pending claims for asylum.
EASO is an EU agency that helps member states fulfil their European and international obligations to give protection to people in need and provides operational support.
Last year, 50 people were granted refugee status (150 the previous year); 345 were granted subsidiary protection (475 in 2018) and 15 humanitarian protection (25 in 2018). There were 635 rejections (855 in 2018). There were no resettlements in either year.
In May, Malta’s Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo criticised the EU for the lack of support in dealing with the migration crisis.
Malta closed its ports due to the coronavirus pandemic and refused to bring ashore migrants rescued at sea, choosing instead to hold them outside territorial waters on tourist boats pending a “European solution” for their relocation.
But Malta was forced to bring in the migrants after unrest on board.