The Government turned down “strong advice” from its international consultants, Henley & Partners, to peg the proposed citizenship programme to long-term investment instead of a one-time payment, it is claimed.
Opposition home affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi told Times of Malta: “The consultants told us they suggested the need for a long-term investment commitment by those wanting Maltese citizenship to be included in the programme. However, they told us that the Government didn’t take their suggestion as it was in a rush to introduce this scheme.”
Last night, the Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security denied being advised to peg the citizenship initiative with investment.
The Government’s scheme, which is expected to be discussed in Parliament, provides for wealthy non-EU citizens to acquire instant Maltese citizenship through a one-time payment of €650,000. They will have the right to buy citizenship for their families at €25,000 per member.
It was in a rush to introduce this scheme
While the Government is defending the scheme, with the Prime Minister stating it will help Malta transform itself into a modern economy, the PN criticised the conditions mentioned, saying they made Malta look like a Caribbean island known for tax havens.
While stating that, in principle, Maltese citizenship should not be for sale, the PN said that if such a programme was introduced it should, at least, include safeguards by introducing limits on the number of people benefiting.
According to Dr Azzopardi, there is no other EU member State that offers a scheme pegged exclusively to the receipt of a donation in exchange for the right to a passport.
“The proposed scheme is only offered in four Caribbean islands – St Kitts & Nevis, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada – and the Government is seriously jeopardising Malta’s reputation,” he said.
The Government has replied to a judicial letter filed by Arton Capital, a financial advisory firm, which had unsuccessfully tendered to act as consultant to draft the citizen-ship scheme.
The Home Affairs Ministry rejected Arton Capital’s claims about shortcomings in the selec-tion process and insisted that all legal procedures were followed in both the adjudication and the appeal stages. The ministry warned Arton Capital it might seek damages due to the unfounded claims.