With the end of the Napoleonic Wars came a regeneration of the Black Sea wheat trade , and Greek-run enterprises became its major players , setting up representations in Maltese ports . Greek community life experienced a small revival during the Greek War of Independence , when events such as the Chios massacre pushed some , including the shipowner and political conspirator Alexandros Kontostavlos , to seek refuge on the Maltese islands . The newly proclaimed Hellenic Republic managed to set up a consulate in Malta , but it remained largely inactive . In that context , one particularly important Greek migrant was the broker Ioannis Papafis , originally from Thessaloniki , who had moved to Malta in 1818 . Until his death in 1886 , Papafis contributed significantly to the local society ; he also provided financial aid for the Hellenic Republic , and later for the Kingdom of Greece
Chios massacre
Chios massacre
Greeks in Malta