Updated 1pm with PN reaction

Almost half of the Nationalist Party’s complaints on voting rights granted to foreigners buying Maltese citizenship were deemed justified by the Electoral Commission, this newspaper has learnt.

In fact, the commission is not expected to file any objections in 39 of the 91 cases flagged by the PN during the court case initiated by the Opposition to revoke their vote.

Foreigners acquiring Maltese citizenship are not automatically granted the right to vote but need to apply.

The PN’s electoral office (Elcom) vetted a sample of 100 foreign citizens listed in the Electoral Register when it came across the 91 cases it felt should have never been granted voting rights as they had either left the application form unsigned or declared they did not reside in Malta.

The commission conceded that in 39 cases applicants should have never been granted the right to vote

Subsequently, the Electoral Commission held an urgent meeting during which it scrutinised all applications indicated by the PN.

“The commission conceded that in 39 cases applicants should have never been granted the right to vote and so [it] will not object to the PN’s request in seeking a court order to revoke this right,” the sources said.

Contacted by Times of Malta, chief electoral commissioner Joseph Church would not enter into the merits of the cases but said that the commission would be making representations in court according to its review of each and every case. He insisted that his office did not distinguish or discriminate between one application and another.

“The same procedures which had been in place for several years were also applied to process hundreds of applications that were reaching the Electoral Office during the e-ID card mass rollout exercise. These applications include the 91 cases flagged by the PN,” Mr Church said.

Asked who would shoulder responsibility for the granting of voting rights to applicants who did not qualify, he said that was not necessary because immediate action had been taken in the wake of the PN’s complaints. Mr Church pointed out that the commission had actually assisted the audit carried out by Elcom.

Would this case lead to an improved applications processing system? Mr Church said a review of the relevant internal procedures had already started.

Speaking to the press outside the Electoral Commission offices in Valletta, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said on Tuesday the foreigners in question were listed in the Electoral Register “abusively and mysteriously”.

The party said it would not hesitate to file further court applications, adding it had strong suspicions more cases would be uncovered in the coming weeks.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, who is responsible for Identity Malta, the agency responsible for citizenship matters, categorically denied allegations of abuse.

Constitution breached - PN

In a tweet this morning, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said Labour was caught red-handed messing up the electoral register.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said it had now been confirmed that the country's Constitution had been breached. 

The Prime Minister simply cannot remain silent when faced with such a scandal and especially since the Electoral Commission falls within his remit. 

It also confirmed that Justice Minister Owen Bonnici had "lied" when he said earlier in the week there had been no abuse.