Updated - Adds reaction by Owen Bonnici, PN

A discrepancy has surfaced between the Maltese and English language versions of the latest legal notice on the citizenship scheme, published on Monday by the government.

While the English version says that applicants have to retain the residence they buy or rent in Malta for a minimum of five years, the Maltese language version says three years.

The legal notice was the third to be issued to regulate the citizenship scheme, officially known as the Individual Investor Programme.

The opposition spokesman for home affairs, Jason Azzopardi, said this was a case of political dishonesty.

He said that the second legal notice, issued two days before Christmas, had spoken of a minimum period of five years. Now the third legal notice said three years in the Maltese version.

He noted that in terms of the Constitution, the Maltese language text prevailed over the English version.

MISTAKE WILL BE CORRECTED - GOVERNMENT

In a reaction, the Parliamentary Secretary for Justice, Owen Bonnici, said the English version was the correct one.

He said there was a mistake in the Maltese language version which would be rectified immediately.

MISTAKE REFLECTS GOVERNMENT'S INCOMPETENCE - PN

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said this would be the fourth revision to the legal notice. It asked what would have happened had it not noticed the mistake at this stage, especially since this was made in the Maltese version which was the version that prevailed in Maltese courts.

This comedy of errors, the PN said, was continuing to destroy Malta's reputation and uncovering the government's incompetence.

No one but the PM was responsible for the damage the country's reputation had already suffered, the PN said.