Over 100 Eritrean refugees gathered outside the Prime Minister’s office on Friday to protest against their lack of rights in Malta.

Holding Maltese and Eritrean flags, the migrants said they paid taxes and national insurance like everyone else, yet were not even afforded basic rights.

Chanting “we are not refugees, we are humans,” the migrants protested peacefully under the watchful eye of the police.

The protest began in Floriana, with the migrants slowly winding their way up to Castille, via Republic and Merchants street.

In comments to Times of Malta, Bekurestion Gebrekidan said he saw no future for himself in Malta.

“Our families are not here. There is no future for children. There is no future for us. Everything is compromised here,” he said.

Mr Gebrekidan said the refugees were demanding that the government reunite them with their families, as well as grant them pension rights as taxpayers.

Earlier this month, some 120 migrants were evicted from a Qormi cowshed, where they were found to be living in squalid conditions.

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli