MP Albert Buttigieg condemns deportation of three Ethiopian men after 18 years in Malta

Nationalist Party MP Albert Buttigieg has condemned the deportation of three Ethiopian men who lived in Malta for 18 years, accusing the Labour government of hypocrisy.

“MPs must be the voice of the voiceless even if this costs us popularity and support,” Buttigieg said in parliament earlier this week.

He said government built an economic model on foreign labour but was now turning asylum seekers into scapegoats to ease public fears about overpopulation.

He accused the authorities of double standards, releasing some while deporting others, including men who were “fully integrated, tax-paying, law-abiding citizens.”

Buttigieg cited the cases of Abdu, Abdi, Yusuf and Kondienah. Three were deported despite nearly two decades in Malta, while Abdu, an LGBT activist, was released after pressure from the Malta Gay Rights Movement. He called the deportations a “parade” designed to win favour rather than address real issues.

A report by Jesuit Refugee Service Malta has shown how fear of deportation forces migrants to accept abuse, unpaid wages and unsafe work. Despite Malta issuing over 33,000 residence permits to third-country nationals in 2024, asylum protection rates have dropped to record lows.
Buttigieg urged MPs not to “forget our humanity and values” to please public opinion.

The Ethiopian men had lost their legal bid to stop the deportation. They had been in Malta irregularly for many years and were among a group of immigrants who were deported.

NGO Aditus Foundation voiced support for Buttigieg, who faced online backlash, including a report on One News that framed his comments as being opposed to the deportation of irregular immigrants.

“We are disgusted by the trolling, lies and hatred against an MP who spoke up against Malta’s inhumane and irrational migration policies,” Aditus said in a Facebook post.

The NGO said that deporting people after so many years, in some cases over 15 years of them being part of our communities, is not ‘effective migration management’ but prioritises populism over humanity, and security over compassion.