Malta resists EU pressure to stop selling citizenship
VALLETTA (Reuters) – Malta rebuffed EU calls to cease promoting citizenship on Wednesday, telling the European Fee that the granting of citizenship falls throughout the nationwide competence of a member state “and it ought to stay as such”.
The Mediterranean island’s response got here after the European Fee mentioned it had issued a “reasoned opinion” spelling out why Malta must cease promoting citizenship, and warning of courtroom motion if the apply continues.
“The Fee considers that the granting of EU citizenship in return for pre-determined funds or investments, with none real hyperlink to the member state involved, is in breach of EU legislation,” the Fee mentioned.
“Investor citizenship schemes undermine the essence of EU citizenship and have implications for the Union as a complete. Each person who holds the nationality of an EU member state is on the similar time an EU citizen,” it added.
“EU citizenship routinely provides the suitable to free motion, entry to the EU inner market, and the suitable to vote and be elected in European and native elections. The inherent dangers of such schemes have as soon as once more been highlighted within the context of the Russian aggression towards Ukraine.”
The fee launched related motion towards Cyprus and Bulgaria final 12 months. Each nations have since stopped processing new purposes for citizenship, and in October Nicosia revoked the citizenship of 39 traders.
Malta on March 2 suspended purposes from Russia and Belarus however continues to obtain purposes from different rich foreigners, notably from China and different Asian and Arab nations.
Prime Minister Robert Abela has repeatedly defended the programme, saying it’s primarily based on robust due diligence and is a crucial income earner. “It was partly due to these funds that we might assist our companies and households in the course of the pandemic,” he instructed media in March.
(Reporting by Christopher Scicluna; Enhancing by Alex Richardson)
