/ world at present information/ Relating to Cyprus and Malta, the EU is beginning disciplinary proceedings for his or her “Golden Passport” packages. In response to NTD, the European Fee has additionally despatched an inquiry to Bulgaria, to which it has additionally raised issues about its citizenship-for-investment scheme.
EU launches disciplinary proceedings in opposition to Cyprus and Malta over their Golden Passport programmes. This was introduced by Christian Wiegand, consultant of the European Fee for Judiciary, Equality and the Rule of Legislation.
The schemes enable rich foreigners to purchase EU citizenship in return for funding, he mentioned. For Malta, their quantity was a million euros, and for Cyprus – two million. On the identical time, the events don’t require affirmation of the applicant’s actual relationship with the nation by which he intends to acquire a passport. That’s, he shouldn’t have lived there.
CHRISTIAN WIEGAND, consultant of the European Fee: The Fee considers that the granting of citizenship for cost or funding with no actual connection to a Member State undermines the essence of EU citizenship.
This week, Malta’s finance minister introduced that his nation is changing the present scheme with a brand new program that can entail stricter guidelines for candidates. Now, earlier than making use of, they should reside within the nation for at the very least one yr.
In the meantime, Cyprus introduced final week that it’ll finish its Golden Passport program solely from November 1. This determination was taken by the authorities after an investigation by the TV channel “Al Jazeera”. In response to him, Cypriot passports have been obtained by criminals in addition to by individuals who allegedly gained their wealth dishonestly.
Formally, the European Fee can not ban such packages. Nevertheless, it might require citizenship recipients to show their bodily residence within the nation. The 2 international locations now have two months to answer the EU’s disciplinary measure. If there are not any adjustments, the fee can enchantment to the Court docket of Justice of the EU. And this may result in fines and different penalties.
The European Fee additionally despatched a request to Bulgaria, by which it additionally expressed concern about its scheme to supply passports in change for investments.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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