Citizenship should not be for sale - Council of Women

The National Council of Women has condemned the selling of Maltese citizenship, saying that it does not agree with any scheme whose sole aim was to raise immediate revenue.

The scheme will allow for foreign investors to buy Maltese citizenship for €650,000, as part of an Individual Investor Programme in new amendments to the Citizenship Act.

Last week, the bill to amend the Citizenship Act was approved in parliament, with 37 votes in favour and 30 against.

And on Tuesday this week, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that he was ready to listen to the public's verdict on the citizenship scheme if consensus failed to be reached in parliament.

However, the Council's vice-president, Grace Attard, said that the matter was deserving of an abrogative referendum, in which all Maltese citizens can put forward their opinions.

"The granting of Maltese citizenship should remain a process according to measures that Malta has put in place and developed over the years, thus guaranteeing the dignity it deserves and at the same time encouraging integrity of the individual to whom it is granted," she said.

Attard said that the Council was very concerned with the possible repercussions of such a scheme, highlighting the possible negative effects on Malta's strong and competitive financial services.

Furthermore, she said that Malta's relations with the European Union could be jeopardised, as well as any VISA agreements with countries outside the EU.

"This is not just a question of reputation, but rather a question of trust and credibility, which has been one of Malta's major assets," she said.

On the possibility of Malta raising additional revenue from the scheme, Attard said that "the means do not always justify the end", adding that this was a "dangerous attitude" for a government to adhere to.

"Ethics might not be a written law, but they are undoubtedly an important and mature safeguard against irresponsible and quick decisions," she said.

"It is not enough to state that no law is being broken. Decisions taken on the basis of ethical considerations are what raise the status of any country. Ignoring them and acting without ethical principles will not only make Malta a laughing stock but also a pawn for all those who would be tempted to abuse of the country's vulnerability," she said.