Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1246053
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 13 MAY 2020 NEWS MATTHEW VELLA THE European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has warned of the risk of COVID-19 taking hold in lower income countries, that could fuel asy- lum claims in Europe in the medium-term. Data published in April shows a dramatic 43% decline in asylum applications in the EU+ in March. No mention is made in EASO's special report of the Central Mediterranean route from Libya to Malta and Italy being affected by COVID-19. The outbreak of COVID-19, which is dispro- portionately concentrated in the developed world, has led to travel bans and other emer- gency measures which have almost completely eliminated the number of asylum applications being lodged in the EU. Countries that implemented the most emer- gency measures in March also had the largest drop in applications. The main countries of origin of applicants for asylum have medium to high vulnerability to hazards, including infections, and suffer from a lack of coping capacity. Similarly, the main countries of origin also have far fewer hospital beds and medical doc- tors per capita. Combined with lacking access to handwash- ing facilities, crowded living conditions and low levels of literacy, the risk of destabilising effects resulting from COVID-19 outbreaks have the potential to affect future asylum trends. At the same time, the suspension of global coa- lition operations across the Middle East has left a power gap that terrorist groups like Islamic State (ISIS) is looking to exploit. "Being self-contained and living in remote hideouts, ISIS is already so- cially isolated and well-prepared for lockdowns. Since local troops are poorly equipped, and distracted by disaster relief and enforcing na- tionwide curfews, the international community may return to a regrouped and more active ISIS across much of the region," EASO said. Such a scenario, combined with the potential for food shortages and security destabilisation should COVID-19 take hold in lower income countries, could lead to increases in asylum-re- lated migration in the medium term. EASO said national asylum and reception authorities should reflect upon the medium to high risk that the outbreak will eventually take hold in lower income countries which are his- torically the source of most asylum seekers in the EU. COVID-19 could fuel asylum claims A speedboat, 70 oriental carpets and almost €400,000 in cash were among the things confiscated from criminals by the Asset Re- covery Bureau in the past two years. The bureau is tasked with trac- ing, recovering and managing the proceeds of organised crime. Information tabled in parliament by Justice Minister Edward Zam- mit Lewis on Monday shows that the bureau confiscated €204,058 in cash during 2018 and €175,949 until October 2019. But last year also saw the bureau confiscate four cars, oriental car- pets, a speedboat, a shop, two oth- er properties and land. Zammit Lewis was replying to a parliamentary question tabled by Opposition MP Claudio Grech. Almost €400,000 in cash were confiscated by the Asset Recovery Bureau between 2018 and 2019 Cash and speedboat seized from criminals MATTHEW AGIUS FACEBOOK death threats sent by one man to a love ri- val has resulted in criminal action. 29-year-old Hagen Azzopar- di from Msida was arrested by the police cybercrime unit af- ter he was suspected of send- ing the Facebook messages in March, using a fake profile. Azzopardi was already on bail after his alleged involve- ment in a hit and run incident in Luqa last July, in which a 27-year-old man was griev- ously injured. On that occa- sion, he had pleaded not guilty to related charges and was re- leased on bail pending crimi- nal proceedings. But not ten months had passed before the man was back in the dock, accused of sending death threats to his love rival using a communi- cations network, breaching a Protection Order as well as his bail conditions. Azzopardi's lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camill- eri explained to magistrate Audrey Demicoli how the ac- cused had reacted to a series of provocations and messages sent by the other man. Inspec- tor Elton Taliana, prosecut- ing, told the court that inves- tigations into this were still ongoing. Debono requested bail and insisted that his client was le- gally presumed innocent until proven guilty. Taliana did not object to the man's release from arrest as long as sufficient conditions were imposed. Magistrate Demicoli upheld the request for bail, releasing the man against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €2,000. He was also ordered to sign a bail book daily and observe a curfew. Lawyer Rene' Darmanin ap- peared parte civile for the vic- tim. Man charged after Facebook death threats sent to love rival