The government has still to set up an agency to administer millions of euros from the cash-for-citizenship programme, even though the framework legislation has been in place since January.
Government sources told Times of Malta that, so far, Identity Malta, the agency handling the programme, had already passed on to the government about €12 million in revenue from the scheme. However, work on setting up the agency was delayed and the Ministry of Finance was temporarily administering the money.
When setting up the scheme, technically known as the Individual Investment Programme, the government said that the majority of proceeds would be directed to a national development and social fund (NDSF) to be used for specific projects of national importance.
The law states that the fund has to be administered by an agency with a board of governors and a CEO.
Although Identity Malta has already approved the granting of citizenship to more than 13 individuals under the scheme and is processing over 500 other applications, the money cannot yet go to the new agency. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for setting up the new agency. Asked to explain the delay, a spokesman for the Deputy Prime Minster said the agency’s board of governors was expected to be appointed next month and would be followed by the appointment of the first CEO.
The spokesman said: “The share of the monies going to the NDSF is being administered by the Ministry of Finance until the NDSF starts functioning.”
So far, the government has not divulged any information on the identity or nationality of the new citizens.
A monitoring committee established by law and chaired by the Prime Minister has only met once since the scheme was set up early last year.
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil last week asked the Prime Minister whether he intended to call another meeting of the committee. However the Prime Minster failed to give a date.
According to the law, the Prime Minister is only obliged to call a meeting once every year.
Apart from Dr Muscat, the committee also includes the leader of the Opposition and the minister responsible for the IIP.
Replying to a parliamentary question last Monday, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela told Nationalist MP Kristy Debono that, so far, only 16 applications for a Maltese passport had been rejected.