Opposition would approve IIP 'if PN amendments are accepted' - Busuttil
Nationalist Party ready to approve Individual Investor Programme if its proposed amendments are taken on board by the government, Simon Busuttil says.
The Individual Investor Programme would enjoy the Opposition's approval if the government were to change the legal notice according to the PN's proposed amendments, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said.
Addressing the media after a meeting with the Attard Local Council, Busuttil said that although the government's IIP was endorsed by the EU Commission, the government was not abiding by the agreement, in particular on the 12-month effective residency.
It is sitll unclear what a 12-month effective residency means, but the amendments proposed by the Opposition seek to ensure that the applicants and their dependents give adequate proof that they actually lived in Malta for twelve months.
"It is only natural that should the government address our concerns by adopting the amendments, we are ready to vote in favour of the legal notice in Parliament," Busuttil said.
He reiterated that as the IIP is today, the citizenship programme was not in the national interest. "We will continue to oppose it unless the amendments are carried out," he said.
Asked on the presidency, the PN leader said the Prime Minister had not yet consulted him.
"It seems that everyone is informed except the Opposition," Busuttil said.
The Nationalist leader called on the Attard local council, where he met the councillors who on their part voiced their concern on financial limits that the council had to face.
Busuttil acknowledged this and said that local councils will be successful only if they are given adequate financial resources that would enable them to carry out their competences.
“A reduction in money allocated to the councils, as was done in the last budget, will only serve to hinder the council’s work.”