The company handling the cash-for-citizenship scheme will get a four per cent commission for every passport it sells, according to the Home Affairs Ministry.

This means that Henley and Partners will be getting a payment of €26,000 for every sale it makes on a citizenship worth €650,000.

An extract of the contract between the Government and the Jersey-based company was released yesterday by the ministry after mounting pressure from the Opposition.

In Parliament on Tuesday Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi claimed Henley and Partners would be paid €140,000 for each citizenship application approved.

The ministry denied the claim and yesterday released the part of the contract that shows how much the company will be paid.

“Henley and Partners would be paid a contribution of four per cent to cover the costs of marketing and processing of applications. Should other agents be involved the amount would be split,” the ministry said.

At no time would the payment reach €140,000

According to the contract a further six per cent will be paid to Identity Malta, a recently set-up government agency.

The rest of the money will go towards a government development fund that will be used to finance public projects.

“At no time would the payment reach €140,000,” the ministry insisted.

In a tit for tat, the Nationalist Party asked for the whole contract to be published.

The PN has been very critical of the scheme, accusing the Government of tarnishing the country’s reputation by putting Malta on a par with Caribbean tax-havens.

Henley and Partners was given an exclusive concession to design, implement and promote the citizenship scheme, known as the Individual Investor Programme. It will also administer the scheme by screening applicants and making its recommendation for approval or otherwise to the Government.

The Home Affairs Ministry has insisted the final stamp of approval on whether citizenship will be granted rests with the Government.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com