The PN’s Jason Azzopardi.

The Nationalist Party has formally asked the Public Accounts Committee to scrutinise the contract signed between the government and Henley & Partners for the cash-for-citizenship programme.

The request was made by the PN’s home affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi, who noted that Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia had refused to reply to questions by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil on the contract’s content.

Dr Azzopardi said the government was justifying its actions on grounds that the contract contained confidential and commercially sensitive information.

Dr Azzopardi insisted this was just an excuse, adding that it was unacceptable that a private firm should have access to information connected to national security while Parliament was kept in the dark.

The government replied, noting that it respected the role of the PAC and calling on the PN to declare any conflict of interest in the issue.

According to the government, a lawyers’ company connected to an Opposition MP represented a firm that competed with Henley & Partners for the concession awarded by the government.

Henley & Partners were appointed by the government to act as concessionaire of the citizenship programme, handling the operation and the due-diligence necessary for those applying for Maltese citizenship.

Applicants have to adhere to a number of conditions including payment of €650,000, acquiring property or Maltese bonds and living for at least a year in Malta.