The National Party strongly condemns the government’s decision to deport Ethiopians who have contributed to Malta

The National Party said the government should make an exception for Ethiopians facing deportation, given that they have been integrated into society and contributed to the economy.

The statement is Times of Malta The report said the Ethiopian community was “shocked” and “living in fear” after dozens of people who had been living and working legally in Malta for up to 19 years were arrested, taken to detention centres and told they would be deported to Ethiopia.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said Malta offers a voluntary repatriation programme to people who arrived illegally and do not qualify for international protection.

In a statement, Darren Carabot, shadow home office minister, harshly criticised the government’s decision and said exceptions should be made for the “20” Ethiopian nationals facing deportation.

He said these people had spent a long time in Malta, integrated into society, had established families and contributed to the economy, so exceptions should be made for them.

Cabot acknowledged that the men had entered Malta illegally in the first place, but he insisted that the lengthy delays in processing their international protection applications, some of which he said had dragged on for 19 years, deserved special consideration.

He criticised the government’s handling of immigration, calling it inconsistent and contradictory.

“While the government has granted residence permits to thousands of individuals from third countries over the past decade, it is now preparing to expel long-term residents who have integrated into Maltese society,” he said.

Carabot also stressed the need for the government to invest in improving the processing of international protection applications to prevent similar cases from happening in the future.

“This situation reflects the broader failures of the country’s immigration system, of which long wait times for refugee status decisions are a key issue,” he said.

He stressed the importance of a humane and fair approach to immigration, especially for individuals who already have roots in the country.

He urged the government to adopt a new economic model that focuses on quality rather than quantity, criticising the current approach as unsustainable and poorly planned.