Nationalist MP calls for citizenship for stateless, Malta-born children

Children who are born in Malta but are effectively stateless should be given Maltese citizenship, shadow social policy minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici said.

Questioned by MaltaToday at the end of a press conference, Mifsud Bonnici originally took a cautious stance, saying that they should have their rights safeguarded, as evidenced by recent protests and work by human rights NGOs. However, when pressed, she said that she believes these children should qualify for Maltese citizenship.

In the past, every person born in Malta was automatically entitled to Maltese citizenship. However, since 2001, that law only applies to people born before 1 August 1989. Those born after that date are now only entitled to Maltese citizenship if their father or mother is a current or former Maltese citizen or was born in Malta. Since many asylum seekers are undocumented, this effectively means that their children are left stateless - with their documentation only stating their names, place of birth and protection status, but not their nationality.

Shadow social policy minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici

The plight of stateless children in Malta was recently laid bare when three Malta-born children of Nigerian parents were told in writing by the Refugee Commissioner to send copies of their work documents and rent agreements in order to renew their protection statuses. These children joined their parents at the front of a solidarity walk on Sunday evening in protest at the government’s decision to revoke Temporary Humanitarian Protection – New statuses.

Home affairs minister Carmelo Abela has rejected calls to give Maltese citizenship to stateless children born in Malta.

“These children are registered and have been provided with documents their place of birth, but the government has no plans to give them Maltese citizenship,” the minister told MaltaToday earlier this month.

However, the Democratic Party (PD) and government whip Godfrey Farrugia have urged the government to reconsider its decision.