MEP says citizenship sale should be suspended pending EC talks
David Casa says government playing ‘dangerous game’ if it seeking consultation with Commission while marketing IIP
Nationalist MEP David Casa is keeping up the pressure on Malta's citizenship scheme, accusing Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of playing a "dangerous game" despite the government's intention to hold talks with Brussels.
Muscat's sale of citizenship - the Individual Investor Programme - was singled out by the European Parliament after Casa and Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola pushed through a resolution against the sale of EU citizenship.
The European Commission now is considering opening an infringement procedure against Malta, although the government says it will hold talks with Brussels on the IIP.
"Notwithstanding the European Parliament's crystal clear vote against the Maltese sale of passport scheme, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat stated that the scheme will proceed as planned. More recently however, it transpired that the government will be holding talks with the European Commission on this controversial scheme.
"This is a dangerous game. On the one hand applications for prospective buyers of Maltese passports have been issued and on the other there are talks of negotiations with the Commission. The government needs to clarify its position. Are these talks just a sham? Is this one of the delaying tactics we have become accustomed to? Or is the government holding talks with the Commission with the intention of amending the scheme?"
Casa said that the government should have consulted the EC before launching the IIP, saying the scheme should now be suspended if talks are ongoing.
"Not only is the scheme the target of international rebuke, but this irresponsible behaviour of marketing and trying to sell a half-baked scheme will see serious investors shunning Malta now and in the future. At this point I appeal to our PM to suspend the scheme, finally conduct a real consultation process, amend the scheme to include a residency requirement, which the Commission is requesting and which the Opposition has requested all along, and relaunch a scheme that does not clash with EU values, treaties and international law."
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