Byron Camilleri says PL cut irregular migrant arrivals by 93%

Security Minister Byron Camilleri denounced claims made by Opposition Leader Alex Borg that rates for violent crime have increased since the Labour Party (PL) took office.

Camilleri assigned the increase to the inclusion of blackmail in violent crime, adding that violent crime also includes bodily harm, which he said has decreased since 2012 despite the sharp increase in population.

The minister said that the PL has driven crime down and sustained that reduction, from 46 per 1,000 people in 2005 to 27 per 1,000 in 2025. He added that international reports consider Malta one of the 12 safest countries on Earth

He added that homicide rates have also decreased, while the police have successfully solved every homicide case over the last eight years, which Camilleri insisted has never happened in Malta.

Addressing concerns of irregular migration, Camilleri pointed out that Malta reduced arrivals by 89%, by increasing return rates to 80%, which ranks the country among the highest of all EU member states.

PL candidate Nigel Vella insisted that the government only brought in foreign workers where they were needed with consideration of conditions for Maltese workers. 

Vella remarked that the PN makes proposals without even being aware that they are already happening, highlighting PL schemes targeting migration such as the introduction of the skills pass and pre-departure courses, which he noted are now being proposed by the Nationalist Party (PN). 

“The distinction between both parties can’t be clearer,” Vella said. “PL is tried and tested, while the PN has no vision and a lack of credibility.”

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard noted the number of concluded inquiries surpassed those newly introduced, a trend which extended to court and tribunal cases, which achieved a decision rate of 93%.

Attard also highlighted the ongoing family court reforms, which focus on streamlining timeframes, improving mediation, and managing parental access. He noted that while these measures are currently in their first phase, the government plans to roll out a second phase soon that will grant the family court jurisdiction over both civil and criminal matters

“We believe no person should suffer from extended timeframes in court, and so the PL introduced these reforms,” Attard insisted, adding these measures clearly show how justice should look in a modern country.