Six migrants relocated to Germany

Two families from Somalia and Eritrea who had fled from the Libyan crisis last year and were subsequently given protection in Malta, left the country this afternoon to start a new life in Germany. Today's departure follows another one to Germany of around 150 asylum seekers which took place in November.

The Minister for Home and Parliamentary Affairs, Carm Mifsud Bonnici was present at the Malta Internatioan Airport as the six migrants took off. Mifsud Bonnici said "The Federal Republic of Germany was one of the countries which supported us consistently from the start when we were seeking solidarity from our EU partners in the field of migration."

He added that "Today's event marks the continued commitment of the German authorities to give a new chance at life to people who are fleeing from wars and instability in the African continent. I thus thank the German people and the German government for this kind gesture."

The Ministry for Home and Parliamentary Affairs said the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees will assist the six persons in the coming months to integrate in Germany, a process which was initiated in the past weeks ahead of their departure from Malta.

"The reallocation of these persons falls within the framework of a commitment made by Germany in 2011 to give an opportunity to relocate there to persons who had been granted international protection by Malta," the Ministry said.  

The Ministry explained that other European countries have also committed themselves to relocate beneficiaries of international protection from Malta, as part of the European Union's Reallocation Project for Malta (EUREMA), or on a bilateral basis. These countries include Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and The Netherlands.

"The EUREMA Pilot Project was set up in 2009 by the European Union specifically to deal with the high pressure that Malta was experiencing on its asylum systems. The project was extended in April last year following the start of the Libyan crisis."

The Ministry for Home and Parliamentary Affairs, through its Third-Country Nationals Unit and respective entities falling under its remit, including the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers and the Office of the Refugee Commissioner, together with the International Organization for Migration - Malta, coordinated this exercise with counterparts in Germany.

"Today's departure brings the total number of persons who were reallocated from Malta to Germany to 286 persons. The first such exercise was carried out in 2006. The total number of persons who were reallocated to other countries in the EU and elsewhere now totals 1,417," the Ministry said.