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[WATCH] 'PN government will repeal citizenship scheme' - Busuttil
The Nationalist Party will repeal golden passport scheme approved today and re-introduce programme requiring long-term residence and investment.
9 November 2013, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
3 min read
PN leader Simon Busuttil today accused the Labour government of steamrolling over the Opposition and the Maltese people in its efforts to push through the Individual Investment Programme (IIP).
Insisting that the IIP scheme "stinks," Busuttil said, "The Opposition today once again proved that we are ready to seek consensus. We tabled amendments to turn the scheme from a terrible one to a better one which is based on investment instead of a one-time donation and which requires residence of at least five years. Above all we wanted to make the scheme transparent and publish the names of all applicants. However, I am greatly disappointed because the government did not budge an inch, showing how much it values politics of consensus."
This morning, Parliament was convened to discuss the controversial IIP through which foreigners can obtain a Maltese passport against the payment of €650,000. The draft law was approved as presented by the government and all amendments but one tabled by the opposition were defeated.
Busuttil said that the Opposition voted against all nine clauses included in the draft law because it was against the law in principle.
"When the final vote is taken on Tuesday, we will once again vote against the law and if does go through we will renew our commitment to stop the scheme and revoke the citizenships granted by this government through the scheme once we are in government."
He added that if the PN is returned to government, the party would also divulge the names of persons who were granted citizenship through the IIP.
On the monitoring committee proposed by the government, Busuttil said the proposal to include the opposition on a board which monitors the scheme it was opposed to in principle was "insulting."
"How can we monitor a scheme if we disagree with in principle?" Busuttil said, adding that however the opposition was keeping its options open and could accept to be on the board once the bill is approved.
He pointed out that the opposition does not exclude the possibility of sitting on the board and divulge the names of applicants, without waiting for the next general election.
Asked whether the PN would scrap or keep the scheme, Busuttil said that if elected to government, the PN would change the scheme in principle by introducing the criteria it proposed in Parliament today.
Challenged on whether revoking passports was legal, Busuttil insisted that citizenship was not a right acquired by birth and therefore it would not be anti-constitutional to revoke any citizenships.
Explaining the opposition's position, Busuttil said that it was unacceptable that foreigners would be granted citizenship against a one-off payment without residing or investing in Malta.
Moreover, Busuttil said that he could never vote in favour of a law which grants applicants complete secrecy.
"Today home affairs minister Manuel Mallia compared the secrecy in this law to secrecy in the security services. Just imagine at what lengths they're going," Busuttil said, adding that today's Parliamentary sitting confirmed that the government was not really prepared to work with everyone, even in disagreement, as labour had promised before the election.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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It is much cheaper and easier to obtain an EU passport through Bulgaria. No contribution needed at all. You however have a long wait. The below info was obtained from the Austrian Government website concerning Austrian citizenship requirements.
In Bulgaria in 2012, a defunct legislation was reintroduced in September 2013. Thus acquires an alien who EUR 500,000 deposited for a period of 5 years with a Bulgarian bank, the right to the Bulgarian citizenship.
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It is much cheaper and easier to obtain an EU passport through Bulgaria. No contribution needed at all. You however have a long wait. The below info was obtained from the Austrian Government website concerning Austrian citizenship requirements.
In Bulgaria in 2012, a defunct legislation was reintroduced in September 2013. Thus acquires an alien who EUR 500,000 deposited for a period of 5 years with a Bulgarian bank, the right to the Bulgarian citizenship.
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It is much cheaper and easier to obtain an EU passport through Bulgaria. No contribution needed at all. You however have a long wait. The below info was obtained from the Austrian Government website concerning Austrian citizenship requirements.
In Bulgaria in 2012, a defunct legislation was reintroduced in September 2013. Thus acquires an alien who EUR 500,000 deposited for a period of 5 years with a Bulgarian bank, the right to the Bulgarian citizenship.
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Simon what you should do is what you are supposed to ,which is talk to the people in the street,not the hardliners,who say yes sir to whatever you have to say.talk to the 36000 who turned against your party and brought down your government because of your all negative policy the 36000 keep adding up ,for which we sincerly thank you.
Luke Camilleri •
Can one trust this man who wants to make public private information on the citizens of Malta ? We entrust the Government with our information AND THIS IS NOT FOR SHARING at the whim of this wannabe Prime Minister!
Where does he get these ideas ?
IS THIS LEGAL for the Government to disclose Private Citizen information ?
I don't think it is , it could be me next time or you , do you feel saFe with Dr. Simon Busuttil , at the helm of the country with all the citizen's personal information TO DISCLOSE AND PUBLISH at his whim ????
HE'S SCARY !
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Qabel ma l-PN jaccetta li qieghed fl-oppozzizjoni mhux ser jiehu r-ruh. Li jaqta nifs il gurnalisti bil konferenzi stampi li qieghed jorganizza mhu qed jimpessjona lil hadd. Irid jaccetta li l-Poplu bl-aktar mod b'sahhtu ghazel lil PL biex imexxih.
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Simonstiltskin can always dream of ever being on the government's benches, till then we can all laugh at his antics.
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Tahseb li ghandek cans imma?? Jekk tibqa sejjer hekk lanqas dawk li ivvutawlek ma jergu jivvutawlek ghanliex int flok qed taghmel bhal ma ghamelu ta Malta Taghna Ilkoll, jghinu lil Pajjiz anke meta kienu f'opposizzjoni, int trid teqred il gid li qed jaghmel dan il-Gvern. Ma tridux li wara tfajtughna il-bahar ikun hemm xi had li issalvana, imam triduna nerqu bhal ma ghamel u qed jaghmel il-Partit Nazzjonalista u kif dejjem ghamel.
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Not surprised at all that this buffon voted against the IIP, everything that it is of good for the Maltese citizens they are against, like when they voted against the reduction of utility bills. Remember the other buffon gonzi saying NIVVOTA BIL QALB KONTRA, BIEX MA JORHSU IL KONTIJIT.
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What a bunch of clowns.
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Today Simon forgot his claim that he would REPEAL the citizenship of those very rich people who would have acquired it through the IIP passed through parliament today !He said he will repeal the amendments and also publish the names of those who would have already acquired citizenship ! In brief, he would STOP THE MILLIONS OF EUROS FLOWING IN MALTA'S COFFERS ! And he thinks that the Maltese people are so stupid as to give him the chance to do this !!!!!
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One still wonders why the EU is staying out of this whole "Passport for sale Scheme"? After all any outside rogue with money can penetrate the EU with this Maltese Key in hand. Is the EU afraid that what happened to the British by Dom Mintoff will happen to them? Did Mr Joe have all that effect on the EU when he told them that "Pushback remains an Option". Is the EU afraid of loosing Malta so they are giving way to Mr Joe's tantrums? After all this Passport Scheme will effect the EU more than it will effect Malta and the Maltese. All we are losing is our dignity and our Maltese pride, thanks to the PL administration. On the other hand, we voted for change and as everyone can see, we are getting that change. You make the bed you sleep in. Too bad Mr Joe hasn't figured out how to stop the illegal immigration and send the illegal opportunists immigrants that are here, back to where they came from. But as they say. Never say Never.
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Fil- 2008 GonziSimonPN kienu mimlija arroganza allvolja kellhom biss nofs seat maggoranza: illum 9 siggijiet minn that u baqghu l-istess! Dejjaqtna kollox NO: Dr No!
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Kull minn sema' il parlament f dawn l ahhar ġranet specjalment il bierah nahseb li jaf hafna aktar dwar Ic Cittadinanza Maltija minn dak li qal Il Ministru M.Mallija milli minn dak li intqal mill oppożizjoni fil hin li kellha. Jiena smajt hafna argumenti tat twerwir u tal wahx biss kul darba tissema l Unjoni Ewropeja. Minn dak li intqal mill oppożizjoni hassejt li minn dak kollu diskuss li ahna membri Ta Unjoni Ewropeja kien l aktar li issemma. Jekk nahseb li wiehed jara l speaches dwar din il ligi jideduci li Unjoni Ewropeja iemmiet aktar milli issemiet Malta.
Manwel Mallia irrisponda bil fatti u hadd mill oppożizjoni ma inega il ligi li tghid li kull minn irrid fil prezent jistgha jakwista cittadinanza wara li jkun jghix Malta ghal perjodu ta snin kif stabilit fil ligi. Allura bl istess argument li torbot dan it tibdil fil ligi mar residenza ma jghamilx sens ghax diga qieghed hemm. Nahseb li l ghan principali hu li jiprovaw ixeklu il hidma tal Ġvern elett mill Poplu li ta tkaxkira manja lil PN.
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Bravu Simon. Carry on gass down ghal gol-hajt!
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Xmun Buzullotti rega' fetah halqu. Imma ma jirrealizzax li HADD m'ghadu jiehdu bis-serjeta'. Kompli sejjer Simon. Int l-aqwa garanzija ghal rebha ohra tal-PL.
Luke Camilleri •
More becoming a Gorgy Porgy than a Simple Simon!
He WANTS TO DICTATE and not GOVERN and that is HIS WAY FORWARD , either his way or NO WAY!
Simon will turn the country into a Banana Republic if given the chance!
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It's either what I (Dr. Simon)say/s or I'm out of this. The usual arrogant rhetoric that makes everybody feel sick when we hear it.
When ??????????? we are in Government............ I, Dr. Simon will say that all this was my idea but Dr. Joseph delayed putting it through and thus cost Malta so much needed cash.
Like a couple of days ago, first they said in no uncertain or uncolourful there was no way that the Govt. could ever afford to reduce the electricity tariffs then when the present Govt. showed them that it could and would, two buffoons stage a street performance and say that it's thanks to the PN that this has become possible! Come on pleaseeeeeeeee
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Busuttil qed jghid li meta jkun hemm il Pn fil Gvern iwaqqaf din li skema fl-istess hin qed jghid li hu fil gvern jippublika l-ismijiet. Din hija sistema ta hawwadni ha nifhem. Xi jrid jippublika jew se jikkancella il ligi?
Il prostituzzjoni tal pajjiz ga ghaddejna minnha Dr Demarco, metta nehhejtu il Mid Med, lottu, sea malta, Mia, Dockyard u hafna ohrajn fosthom artijiet.
Snin ilu kont nehhejtu wkoll Manoel Island, Tiftakar meta Borg Olivier kixef irhama tal Progett li llum 60 sena wara ghadu ma hemm xejn.
Prostituzzjoni meta ma jkollokx flus, bhal ma hallejtu l-pajjiz inti u shabek u jkollok tuza gismek biex tkompli tghix.
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The more I hear PNs banal arguments, the more I confirm that they deserved the crushing electoral defeat. These people are never tired of digging deeper their own grave. Keep it up Simon, we love it.
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@Dr. Simon Busuttil allura lil Aliyev tghajtuh li ried hu u jekk mhux izjed u meqjus bhala kriminal skont sorsi internazzjonali, dan Ok ghax forsi ghaddiet xi haga min taht l-idejn ghala P.Enne bhas soltu. Ara vera wicckom ma jisthi min xejn. Lil Quiroz tiftakruh? Ghalhekk ma triduhiex tkun trasparenti biex xi hbieb tal hbieb idahhlu fil but bhal min dejjem hekk kontu.
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..... and by the way .... does anybody really care what this midget says? SB thinks he's god ..... but he's just a bloated object, thinking he is now at the top of the world .....
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It will never happen. PN stands no chance of being elected to government with this type of poor leadership and nonsensical tactics.
