Minister for Gozo Justyne Caruana today said that the presence of refugees in Gozo has become more prominent and integration needs to be facilitated. The Minister said this during a visit by a representative from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

According to a press release, Caruana said that it is a fact that the past few months the presence of refugees in Gozo has become much more prominent.  She stressed that there is a need for structures and collaboration with national and international bodies, in order to facilitate the integration of refugees on the island.

The Minister argued that there are major challenges in relation to prejudices and exclusion, and therefore work needs to be done to create a context where no one feels excluded, and "everybody feels comfortable within the local community." She said that in this view, the service must be comprehensive and must be aimed and focused to address the immediate needs of refugees that live in Gozo, according to the press release.

Caruana thanked the Church and other entities who offer their services in aid of refugees, and appealed to UNHCR representatives to increase the directness and frequency of the contact related to the realities of Gozo within this field.