Cash for citizenship

Selling Maltese citizenship for €650,000 sends the message that Maltese identity is based on cash

James Debono 9 October 2013, 12:00am

3 min read

National identity is based on the bond of citizenship, which entails a willingness to participate in the country's social and political institutions and a sense of loyalty towards the constitution of the country.

The government's proposal to sell Maltese citizenship for €650,000 sends a shiver down the spine for anyone with a sense of patriotic dignity.

It is an extreme kind of mercantilism that reduces one of the most important bonds in a democracy to a financial transaction.

It's not because this will make it easier for foreigners to become Maltese. In a modern globalised society, the acquisition of citizenship has nothing to do with ethnicity. I have argued in the past in favour of granting automatic citizenship to the children of foreign residents who attended a school cycle in Malta: it makes sense to grant citizenship to refugees and migrants who have spent a substantial part of their life in Malta, basically people who spend most of their life and have an organic attachment to Malta. These people can qualify as its citizens.

But even for these people, citizenship should be accompanied with education and compulsory attendance in courses on Malta's social and political institutions.

Instead of offering citizenship to those who seek it for pecuniary gain, possibly tax avoidance in their country of origin, the government should address the injustice of our current citizenship regime.

A recent report by the European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO) citizenship observatory states that the acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation in Malta is overshadowed by the "singular non-reviewable discretion" which the Minister for Home Affairs enjoys in decisions on each case. The discretionary powers of the minister are described as "avenues of potential abuse and conflicts of interest" in the report.

Not surprisingly a record number of citizens where naturalized before the last general election. A total of 183 foreign residents were naturalised in 2012, up from just 91 in 2011, while a further 62 were naturalised in the first three months of 2013.

According to the report requirements for naturalization are "broad and vague," and each case is handled on its own merits without any standardised system, like language tests. Being of "good character" and being deemed by the minister as "a suitable citizen" are among the requirements. Persons applying for naturalisation also need two sponsors, one of whom must be an MP, a judge, a magistrate, a parish priest, a doctor, a lawyer, a notary public or an officer in the army or civil service.

The study notes the absence of any promotional material encouraging individuals to apply for citizenship through naturalisation. Nor has there ever been any citizenship ceremonies celebrating the acquisition of citizenship.

It is definitely ironic that the same government, which prepared planes to push back migrants to Libya before being stopped by the European Court of Human Rights, is opening up citizenship to anyone who can pay for it. One can sum up the government's ideology in a sentence: "Our country is open for all especially for the rich and powerful, irrespective of creed or colour but not so for the meek and the wretched of the earth."

James Debono is MaltaToday's chief reporter on environment, planning and land use issues, ...

More from James Debono

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Mhux sew li James jiehu paga gholja vis a vis emigranti li jghix u f'Malta, waqt li dawn jithallsu bil-minumum wage, u m'ghandhomx fejn jghixu sewwa.? Kollox ghandu jigi maqsum, nghixu f'hajja komunali, konventwalu u (like a Communist come lately) nahdmu kemm nistghu u niehdu kemm nehtiegu! Malta m'hix laboratorju fejn erba idejalisti-ghax ghadhom zghar- jippretendu li naghmlu dak li joholmu huma! Ifakruni-dawn iz-zaghzagh- f'Ferrara, dak l-ohxon minn Emilia Romagna, li meta kien zghir kien extreme left- lotta continua- extreme aktar mill-PCI- u issa spicca right wing jilghaq u jiddefendi lil dak li gab lill-Italja fqira-Berlusconi!

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James Debono's logic: Giving a passport to somebody who comes here legally for 650,000 Euros = Unethical, unpatriotic Giving a passport to someone who originally comes here illegally and without documents and who's presence is a burden on our welfare state = Ethical, patiriotic Hawwadni ha nifhmek James!

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A reasonably good article that was marred by your last paragraph where you tried to paint the present government as something out of the old apartheid regime in South Africa. Truly an unwarranted low blow. Canada, Australia, the UK and the US all offer a type of entrepreneurial immigration for persons willing to invest in the respective countries. These people bring fresh ideas, capital and drive to the country and usually spin off quite a number of jobs for the local population. These immigrants are vetted for any criminal activity, terrorist past, assurance that they will not become a burden upon Maltese social services and the ability to be integrated into Maltese society. Most asylum seekers are not so thoroughly scrutinized. In fact in most cases all that the immigration officer has is the applicant's word that he is what he says he is. That one is a Somali, for example, does not, ipso facto, make one a refugee. Perhaps it's coincidental, but the majority of asylum claimants from all countries appear to be 20 something males. That our citizenship laws need serious updating and rationalization goes without question. But that is a subject for constitutional debate. We are a small island nation and cannot accept asylum applicants ad infinitum. If large countries are not willing to share our burden, we shouldn't have to be their conscience and convenient holding pen. Your wrath should be directed first at the EU which has been noticeably absent in their assistance and then the previous government for signing the Dublin II accord.

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Aha! So nafnaf, at least we are agreed on one point. That the PN should have been shown the door ages back. Re the around 100/200 successful applicants for this scheme, I would imagine we should find 100/200 top tier properties from the at least 72,000 left behind by the previous misguided administration. So I am not advocating increasing any stock of property. JUST FLOGGING WHAT IS AVAILABLE!

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Well James ...... will do you lot better to pack and leave the island for say the next 15 years!!!!.......... then you should return hoping for a change in government ........

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If better future really believes that the investors targeted by this misguided scheme are the ones that will spend their money on vacant properties built by even more misguided contractors , that's another argument to send shivers down one's spine . Politicians are like nappies , they should be changed often and for the same reason , and that should have counted for the Nationalist administrators he wrongfully thinks I held in any esteem , before the rot had started

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so any body from, say africa, can come here, and marry a local girl, and is granted citizenship; he can then stay on the dole, or send his wife to work for him, but that, according to this guru above, is ok and acceptable. But getting rich people and possible investors paying for their maltese citizenship sends shivers down his spine !!!] u hallina James

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Up to a few weeks ago, the likes of James told us that we are living in a globilised world, without fontiers, without borders, whre every citizen has a right to live wherever he wants and without passports. In this ideal world anyone can choose the counry he wants to go to: Europe the US, Australia ecc. He can even go pennyless, apply for assylum or refugee- even if he is not entitled to, and can even sue the host country if the standard is not 3 star and free! Today however, its an other story! Citizens who want to 'invest' in Malta's privileges, and economy by paying 650,000 euros, these are unwanted by the 'globilised and 'cool' brigades! These high worth individuals do do compete for jobs with our precarious workers,they do not compete for our social welfare with our pensioners: they are already rich , and, they bring job opportunites, know how and the eternal optimism that entrepreneurs the world over are renowned for. So for the likes of James giving Maltese citizens and integration for the African poor is welcomed; but giving passports to rich citizens who add value to our economy no? Where is the consistency?

joseph mercieca •

So Mr. Debono is getting chills down his spine on the selling of citizenship. Me I am getting nauseous reading all this pseudo nationalism based on bigotry, nonsense and anthropological loathing of everything Labour. Anybody with the faintest idea about our history will discern that patriotism and nationalism were never high on the agenda of the Maltese. Mainly we were too hungry to be bothered plus that we were perennially ruled by foreign powers that did not encourage such concepts. Our patriotism and nationalism altered according to who was master of the island. We had a national culture and identity but any reference to it was stifled. One the one hand it was against the foreign lord’s interest and second the Maltese high class and gentry always considered anything Maltese as the heritage of the lowly classes of society the scum or “marmalja” “psatas”. The only two people that tried to foster Maltese nationalism were Mikiel Anton Vassalli, and Manwel Dimech. I would not err if I state that even today half the Maltese people hate their guts! In 1880 the Nationalist Party was founded. This name is misleading because this political party made up of the higher classes, professionals, business men, landed gentry and high functionaries of the Church had as their political agenda Malta becoming part of Italy. Nationalism thus meant annexation with Italy. If the PN had its way today we would be nothing less and nothing more than other Lampedusa. It would be interesting to remind people about the all-out war that the Nationalists waged against anything that was Maltese or English. Maybe the most famous battle was their rear guard action not to let the English language have ascendancy over the Italian which was the Language of the puliti, the law courts, university and the church. The Maltese language was considered as the language of the kitchen. These even sided with Mussolini and rejoiced at his triumphs such as they were. They felt Italians not Maltese. Things did not go their way mainly because we were a British colony and in 1939 Italy started bombing Malta. The higher echelons of the PN were interned in a concentration camp in Uganda. The British were apprehensive of their attachment to Italy. It was only after the war that the first Labour government gave importance to Maltese culture. Its first step was establishing the Maltese language as the National language together with English. Realistically our sense of Nationalism is very tenuous. Just come to my home town Sliema and hear them chewing their English. I am afraid that even bona fide people like Jurgen must realise that Nationalism is slowly becoming obsolete what with the globalisation of the media controlled by the US in the future we will all become Americanised.

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So, we have non Maltese EU nationals who RESIDE in Malta waiting for months to get this residence confirmed. In the meantime they are given grief by all Maltese officialdom: schools, ARMS, banks, buses etc. ....... This discriminatory behaviour is currently being scrutinized by the EU and is causing untold damage to Malta's reputation. That membership of the EU brings about responsibilities as well as funds seems to escape the notice of all Maltese politicians, past and present. And then the "socialist" government currently in power offer Maltese citizenship to any Tom, Dick or Harry that has 650 000 euro to splash about. Incredible.

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What a load of crap this article is!sorry to say james but you sound just like the joker who walked out parlament last week 'shiver down your spine? We have lost our idendity along time ago and sold our souls and country under the past PN administration for which our country is nearly bankrupt .Maybe you forgot we are all european now and it does'nt matter what religion ,colour,age ,rich or poor etc if they come from a european country they can come and go as they like and apply for whatever we maltese citiziens are intitled to .

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@ nafnaf, who seems to know a lot about Fayed;wikipedia > "It was suggested that the feud with Rowland contributed to Fayed's being refused British citizenship the first time.[17]". AHA! Political powers' intervention yet again!! Now about being able to buy Malta in cash, why wouldn't good old nafnaf introduce some of Malta vacant property for purchase by Fayed. His ranting would be far more useful than! nafnaf get "politico" rantings out the picture and wake up to reality. Your beloved PN administrations have left the Maltese nation in such dire straits that we should thank this new administration for its economic and financial initiatives.

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Where was your "patriotic dignity" in the past 25yrs?

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Government's proposal does not send shivers down my spine , its what's to be expected from this incompetent lot ,it's some of the comments on this blog that should . It still amazes me that there is still this kind of ignorance about. Mohammed al- Fayed could buy Malta in cash and still have change but he still cannot afford a British Passport , that is PRIDE , not making silly excuses to support a government that has run already run out of ideas of how to raise funds for the impossible promises made before the last elecion.

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I certainly agree with you James, I don't like the idea of selling citizenships to forgieners.This is a dangerous approach to a small nation as Malta. I believe that Malta will lose big on it's heritage and patriotism will dwindle to none in 100 years. I'have read an article about London UK in the past 10 years 6000,000 Brits moved out of London and now it's being run by foriegners who make 52% of the London population.The PM and LP talk about money, no wonder Pope Francis as recently lamented that Christians/Catholics are now more geared on greed and wealth.Dr Muscat don't be naive,don't sell Malta.

joseph mercieca •

With regard to the law that was your Party’s doing. It is up to us to ratify what is wrong. Still it does not make sense to give citizenship to who could prove a burden but not to who can pay and aid the economy. Now here you did a faux pas my dear Jurgen or are you right wing? You see if you want to give citizenship to migrants and their children no problem. But let them keep their cultural identity. Your kind of reasoning is akin to that of The Norther League in Italy. A boy who let us say come from Somalia and becomes a Maltese citizen albeit he has to socialise in Malta society he must also learn his language and cultural heritage. Thus we will have a mixed or multicultural society. You cannot coerce an African to become a European. This is the basic flaw of your argument; citizenship does not necessarily encompass a national cultural identity When you campaigned for Europe you knew that Malta would be open to citizens from the EU. These can come here have a job, reside here and can claim social services. Aren’t these people for all intents and purposes citizens of Malta? Go have drink in a bar or a bite to eat at a restaurant you will notice that the stuff is full of them. Go for a stroll at the ferries and you will encounter numerous British people selling tours to tourists. You must be aware that we have a sizeable community of foreigners who have retired in Malta. As far as I know to get the go ahead to live in Malta they must have a certain amount of annual income. I concede that they are not full citizens but they do have the right to vote in the local elections. We have also a small group of foreigners naturalised Maltese who represent Malta in international sport events mainly the Small Nations Games. Why all this aggro? Other countries do it why not us? Is this not the age of globalisation? If a person wants to pay to have Maltese citizenship why gripe? For starters this will mean an income of 50 million Euros. You see Jurgen whilst others wasted our money like drunken sailors on shore leave after a long stint on the sea. Labour is doing all that is possible can to heal our economy. If you don’t like tough luck

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You see James some foreigners got this citizenship by fining some Maltese citizen and got married for about €400 so you can get it for cheap so why we don't make them pay more for it? maybe it this didn't pass through you head but maybe these foreigners care more for it then other Maltese that they are happy to sell it for cheap

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'Shiver down the spine'? Mhux bil-fors jekk hawn hafna nies li ghadhom -u worse- ma iridux johorgu mill-cocoon taghhom? Ara meta in-Nats hargu hawn Malta 'bin-knowledge based society' ir-rants ma smajnihomx! L-aghar haga fi gzira zghira huma l-pregudizji: imma ma tistax tkun kontra l-pregudizzji fejn jaqbillek- u favurihom fl-istess hin! There is a world outside, and the sooner we realise that we are not 'key' players, but scavengers looking for the breadcrumbs that fall from the table, the better for all of us.

Gilbert Bartolo •

Is 'Laburist' synonymous with 'ignorant right-wing rants'?

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whatever James...

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"....it makes sense to grant citizenship to refugees and migrants who have spent a substantial part of their life in Malta..." - so for you this makes sense, giving out citizenships for free however trying to attract millionaries is not??? thank goodness you're just a journalist and no one really takes you seriously

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Handing out free passports to "asylum seekers" is fine for the neo-moralists, but seeking over €650,000 per passport sends 'shivers down their spine' because Malta has no mouths to feed. Typical reaction. Tkun aktar utli jekk tmur tahrat ghalqa patata, Debono.

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http://www.economist.com/news/international/21586843-hard-up-countries-flog-passports-papers-please

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but we already have many ppl who have acquired Maltese passports. Ever considered looking at the names of Maltese Athletes who take part in the small nations. Some might be 2nd 3rd or 4th generation maltese but there are others who were accepted for their sporting talent.

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Biex izomu happy lil james il gvern immisu ghamila ghall IMIGRANTI ILLEGALI, kiku ma kienx jikkumenta.grow up james.

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Come on James "a shiver down the spine for anyone with a sense of patriotic dignity". Oh! Is this why we joined the EU? If your answer suggests inbuilt national financial acumen, then this is a step in the right direction. Do I need to remind you just how many, Maltese grown and bred, b(l)ogers despite the Maltese nation? So please leave patriotism out of this scenario. This is purely a financial issue.