Alfred Sant tells the european parliament that Malta’s golden passport scheme is extremely rigorous

Former Prime Minister and Maltese MEP Alfred Sant told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that the assessment process of applicants for Malta’s EU citizenship by investment scheme (IIP) is extremely rigorous. Dr Sant said that while most EU states practise some form of ‘Golden Scheme’, ‘do gooders’ and parts of the international media only attack countries like Malta and Cyprus, having open, advertised programmes.

Dr Sant, speaking on the issue of EU values and the proliferation of corruption and crime through Golden Visas, said he asked to see how Malta’s Golden Scheme is done, and was and still is impressed by its rigour.

“Mistakes may be made, yes. When detected, they are corrected. Whoever here knows the contrary, let him/her provide cases, not wild accusations. Argue for reasonable parameters to define golden schemes, both formal and informal, plus due diligence in implementation. Argue for total transparency, applicable to all schemes, formal and informal. But do not create scapegoats.” remarked the Maltese MEP.

“Whatever one may think – for or against – about golden schemes by governments to grant citizenship, residence permits or visas, they constitute legitimate tools of policy. Under globalisation, direct investment is being sucked away from the smaller, peripheral economies, towards the center of the larger economic systems.”

Dr Sant said through golden schemes, smaller economies seek to attract investment to their territory by giving a personal stake in it to agents having some control over investment flows. Obviously, these will have their reasons for joining golden schemes, some acceptable, others not.

“We hear hysterical claims, even here, by some who whiter than snow, insist that this is an abuse of European citizenship and promotes criminality. The truth is that most states, yesterday and now, practise some form of golden scheme. Most do it in a non-programmed way… at least on the outside. Their schemes lack rules. Decisions are informal, unannounced, hidden. So, nobody protests.”

The Maltese MEP said that if money laundering is really the problem that upsets those criticising these schemes, as is right and proper, they should not just go for its symptoms, but should go for its causes. “And let that apply to all, to small and big countries,” he emphasised.

You may follow Dr Sant’s intervention on this link:

Maltese Version – “L-ISKEMA TA’ MALTA TAĊ-ĊITTADINANZA B’INVESTIMENT (IIP) HIJA RIGORUŻA ĦAFNA”

Il-Kap tad-delegazzjoni Maltija Laburista tal-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant qal li l-proċess li bih ikunu assessjati l-applikanti għall-iskema ta’ Malta ta’ ċittadinanza b’investiment (magħrufa bħala IIP) huwa rigoruż ħafna. Dr Sant qal li filwaqt li ħafna stati tal-UE jipprattikaw xi forma ta’ skema simili, dawk li jitkellmu ‘għall-ġid’ u sezzjoni mill-midja internazzjonali jattakkaw biss pajjiżi bħal Malta u Ċipru, li għandhom programmi trasparenti u rreklamati.
Alfred Sant kien qed jitkellem waqt id-dibattitu ‘Valuri Ewropej u t-tixrid tal-korruzzjoni u l-kriminalita` permezz tal-Golden Visas’ fil-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu.
Dr Sant qal lill-Parlament Ewropew li kien staqsa speċifikament biex jara kif issir l-iskema ta’ Malta u kien impressjonat bir-rigorożita` tagħha.
“Jistgħu jitwettqu żbalji, iva. Meta jinstabu, ikunu kkoreġuti. Jekk hawn xi ħadd li jemmen mod ieħor, jippreżenta jew tippreżenta l-każijiet, u mhux isiru akkużi bl-addoċċ. L-argumenti għandhom ikunu dwar parametri raġjonevoli biex ikunu definiti dawn it-tip ta’ skemi, kemm formali u informali, kif ukoll is-serjeta` fl-implimentazzjoni. L-argumenti għandhom ikunu wkoll dwar trasparenza, applikata f’kull tip ta’ skema, formali u informali. Iżda toħolqux in-nagħġa s-sewda,” Sant qal lill-membri parlamentari Ewropej.
“Tkun xi tkun l-opinjoni – favur jew kontra – dwar skemi tal-gvernijiet li bihom jingħataw ċittadinanzi, permessi ta’ residenza jew visas, dawn huma għoddod politiċi leġittimi. Minħabba l-globalizzazzjoni, l-ekonomiji ż-żgħar u fit-tarf tal-kontinent qed jitilfu l-investimenti diretti li dejjem qed ifittxu li jkunu fil-qalba tal-ekonomiji l-kbar.”
Dr Sant qal li permezz tal-iskemi ta’ dan it-tip, l-ekonomiji ż-żgħar jipprovaw jattiraw l-investiment lejn it-territorju tagħhom billi jagħtu sehem personali lil aġenti li għandhom xi tip ta’ kontroll fuq l-influssi tal-investiment. Ovvjament, dawn ikollhom ir-raġunijiet tagħhom biex jingħaqdu ma’ skemi ta’ dan it-tip, uħud aċċettabbli, oħrajn le.
“Nisimgħu stqarrijiet isteriċi, anki hawn, minn dawk li jilagħbuha li huma bojod aktar mill-abjad, li jinsistu li dan huwa abbuż taċ-ċittadinanza Ewropea li tippromwovi l-kriminalita`. Il-verita` hija li bosta stati, ilbieraħ u llum, jipprattikaw xi forma ta’ skema ta’ dan it-tip. Ħafna jagħmluha mingħajr programm …. għall-anqas hekk jidher minn barra. L-iskemi tagħhom nieqsa mir-regoli. Id-deċiżjonijiet tagħhom huma informali, mhux imħabbra, moħbija. Allura, ħadd ma jipprotesta.”
Dr Sant qal li jekk il-ħasil ta’ flus huwa l-vera problema li jdejjaq lil dawk li jikkritikaw dawn l-iskemi, kif huwa ġust li jsir, ma għandhomx jirreferu għas-sintomi, iżda għandhom imorru għall-kawżi.
“U dan għandu japplika għal kulħadd, kemm għal pajjiżi żgħar u kif ukoll għal pajjiżi l-kbar,” enfasizza l-MPE Malti.

Tista’ ssegwi l-intervent ta’ Dr Sant fuq din il-link: