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Greens demand abrogative referendum on citizenship sale
Alternattiva Demokratika asks for abrogative referendum on sale of passports for €650,000
12 November 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
AD said civil society should challenge governments arrogance by calling an abrogative referendum on the IIP.
Green party Alternattiva Demokratika said the new Individual Investor Programme should be subjected to an abrogative referendum.
AD chairperson Arnold Cassola said his party was calling on civil society to unite against this law which can cause damage to Malta's reputation. "The insistence of the government to protect the anonymity of these new Maltese citizens gives cause to great concern. We want full transparency and disclosure with regards to the identity of the persons benefiting from this scheme."
The law will be formally passed tonight in the House, after amendments pushed by the Opposition to publish the names of the IIP citizens, who will acquire citizenship on a donation of €650,000, were not passed.
"In view of the fact that the law for the acquisition of Maltese citizenship against a payment of €650,000 is about to be approved by parliament AD is calling upon civil society to unite in calling for an abrogative referendum to strike out from the statute book the legal provisions," Cassola said.
Carmel Cacopardo, AD deputy chairperson, said the promotion of the IIP abroad was "already raising eyebrows".
"Malta has slowly and painfully made a name for itself as a reputable financial centre. The implementation of this citizenship scheme, with all the secrecy surrounding it, could endanger this hard gained reputation, with the severe consequences that all this could bring for Malta's economy."
Cacopardo said that once government did not heed civil society's criticism of this legislation it as now incumbent on civil society to take the lead and "challenge government's arrogance by calling an abrogative referendum on the issue. It is time to stand up and be counted."
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It is this issue that should be subjected to a Referendum and not the Hunting issue. Now is the time to start collecting signatures.
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AD keep trying to create something to show that they still exist. Unfortunately, they have latched on to the PN's scaremongering campaign forgetting that this program is intended to give a BIG BOOST to Malta'S financial stability. Which in turn, will return Malta to much better credit worthiness which Malta had up to quite a few years back. Besides, the Maltese people will be benefitting. This is why the PN, and possibly also AD, wish to scupper the Individual Investor Program , since this could very well result in the PN's AD 's electoral prospects to recede even more than they were on Mach 9 !
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Very interesting indeed. Can Mr Cassola who has an Italian and a Maltese passport let us know in case there is a dispute between Malta and Italy were his allegiance will be. With Italy or with Malta.
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It is almost getting scary, when the AD Party is starting to make more sense than the other two parties put together. Lately the AD have been making more and more sense. Maybe it is time to consider the AD as a serious Political candidate. The AD is right to call for a referendum regarding the sale of our passport for thirty pieces of silver to any rogue that can can up with 650,000 thousand euros. That means that after they get a Maltese Passport they can enter most countries without a visa and that includes all of Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia which up to now was a privilege afforded the Maltese people. These countries are not going to sit for this idiocy and they will soon regard Malta as an enemy instead of a friend. The people of Malta do not want that to happen but it seems we have no choice. I suggest that the people call for a referendum regarding this the sale of our Nationality and our Livelihood to the rich no matter who they are. The PL might be willing to sell their souls to the devil but most Maltese Born Citizens do not. I do hope that the PN Party and the AD Party join together to demand a referendum and let the People of Malta choose. The problem is that if a referendum is called Joseph Muscat and the PL know that they will lose, and lose big. We all earned the right to be called Maltese by birth and we are proud to be called Maltese even though Mr Joe and company are not.
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What a load of bollocks. Doesn't Arnold Cassola and Carmel Cacopardo have anything better to do? As if AD ever got ANYWHERE!
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As far as I know our constitution only allows a consultative referendum. It seems that Arnold Cassola is still dreaming of his Italian Parliament days where abrogative referendums which never pass are the order of the day.
