56 People Found Sleeping On Malta's Streets Given Shelter In Last Four Months

A total of 56 people who were found sleeping on Malta's streets have been provided with shelter over the past four months, Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield has confirmed.

In a social media post, Bedingfield explained that these individuals have been taken off the streets and are now being accommodated in reception centres operated by the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS).

The announcement came following the agency's annual conference, during which the Minister emphasised that the government's approach is based on two principles: security and dignity.

The statement follows a recent controversy involving people sleeping inside the subway beneath St Anne Street in Floriana.

Last week, Bedingfield confirmed that police had intervened to stop individuals from sleeping in the underpass, insisting that the subway was not intended to be used as a sleeping area.

However, the intervention sparked mixed reactions online, with some supporting the enforcement of public order while others raised concerns about the treatment of vulnerable individuals and the importance of addressing homelessness.

Bedingfield subsequently clarified that a man removed from the Floriana subway had been provided with shelter, stressing that authorities aim to maintain public order while ensuring that people are treated with dignity.

The latest figures provide further insight into the authorities' efforts to address rough sleeping in Malta, although questions remain about longer-term accommodation and support for those affected.

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