Greens say Malta should scrap golden passports to Russians

The Maltese Green Party has joined Greens in the European Parliament to call for a forceful reaction to Russiuan aggression, and for Malta to stop selling passports to Russian elites.

“It is clear that the Russian President is further turning the escalation spiral, trying to rewrite history into an imperial narrative. We are all set to lose if international rules can be broken without consequences,” ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said.

“Our European continent is in grave danger. At this crucial moment in European history, I appeal to both Robert Abela and Bernard Grech, in their respective capacities as caretaker Prime Minister and caretaker Leader of the Opposition, so we all set our political differences aside and show the government of the Russian Federation that we condemn the acts of aggression in the Ukraine.”

Passport Papers | Secrecy and bid to avoid scrutiny was always the mark of IIP

Cacopardo also said that Malta should not be used as a way for Russia to infiltrate Europe.

“I call for the immediate suspension of the Individual Investor Programme,” he said, referring to Malta’s sale of passports to the global elites, now called the ‘Citizenship for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment’.

“At this stage it is now clearer than ever that the programme poses a risk to our collective European security. It is not possible to know who is trying to take advantage of the terms of the scheme in order to put Europe at risk.

“I also call on the Malta Individual Investor Programme Agency (sic) to put all Maltese passports issued to holders of Russian passports under review and for details of such passport holders to be shared among the European security establishment as a matter of urgency,” Cacopardo said, referring to the Community Malta agency.

“It is our collective duty to ensure that Malta is on the right side of history. We must not undermine the collective European response, which must be strong and proportionate. This is not the time for profit, but time to do the right thing.”