EUAAMalta’s International Protection Agency has temporarily suspended the processing of all new and pending asylum applications from Syrian nationals, citing the inability to assess applicants’ reasons for seeking international protection due to the evolving situation in Syria.
“In light of the recent significant events in Syria, the International Protection Agency wishes to inform that it has temporarily suspended the examination of pending and new asylum applications for international protection by Syrian nationals,” the home affairs ministry statement said.
Malta joins a growing number of European countries pausing asylum applications from Syrian refugees following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Countries such as Germany, Austria, and the UK have similarly halted decision-making processes, citing uncertainty and the need to reassess the situation.
“The Agency will continue to assess the evolving situation with the aim of resuming the processing of such applications in the shortest time possible. The Agency has decided to take this course of action in order to properly assess the evolving situation, since at present it is not possible to properly assess applicants’ reasons for seeking international protection,” Malta’s home affairs ministry added.
Malta’s decision reflects the increasingly hardline stance on migration under home affairs minister Byron Camilleri, whose policies have positioned the country among the strictest in the EU on asylum matters.
Germany, home to the largest Syrian diaspora in Europe, has also frozen decisions on approximately 47,000 pending applications, with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser citing “the volatile situation” in Syria. Austria has gone further, announcing plans for a “repatriation and deportation programme” for Syrians, while Sweden, France, and Denmark are also reconsidering their policies.
But the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has urged countries to proceed with caution, emphasising that asylum seekers must continue to receive equal rights during this period, including proper reception conditions. UNHCR warned against forced returns, stressing that such actions would violate the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the expulsion of individuals to places where they could face harm.
Since al-Assad’s fall, Germany, UK, Italy and Austria have paused asylum claims from Syrians, meaning more than 85,000 applications have so far been put on hold, data provided by UNHCR shows.
Spain stands out as one of the few EU countries maintaining normal processing of asylum requests from Syrians. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares justified this stance by noting the relatively low number of applications received in Spain.
The suspension of asylum processing comes amid fears of a potential migration crisis reminiscent of the aftermath of Libya’s destabilisation. With over 131,000 Syrian asylum seekers waiting for decisions across Europe, the delays risk exacerbating uncertainty and hardship for vulnerable individuals.
