Manuel Delia, an anti-corruption blogger and executive officer of the Maltese civil society organization Repubblika, was pleased with the April 29 European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that Malta’s so-called “golden passport” program is not in line with the European Union’s laws. The ECJ found that Malta’s policy, which offered citizenship to foreign investors, made nationality a “mere commercial transaction” and did not establish the necessary bond of solidarity and good faith between a member state and its citizens, nor did it ensure mutual trust between member states.
Delia, who had long campaigned against the Maltese government’s program, said the decision vindicates the work of his late friend and colleague, anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was among the first to highlight the dangers of the program. The court’s ruling felt like a victory for Delia, who emphasized that citizenship cannot be put up for sale and that it has a value and a principle, particularly in terms of the solidarity between EU countries.
Malta had been offering “golden passports” for years. Unlike other EU member countries that had ended their cash-for-citizenship schemes, Malta was the last to maintain the controversial program. Data suggests that Chinese investors accounted for most of the golden visas awarded, but many did not seem to be residing in Malta as required.
While the purchase of passports has been ruled out for Malta, other “residence by investment” schemes are still open across many EU countries, offering residence permits for significant real-estate purchases or investments. Anna Terrone, a policy officer at Transparency International, a global anti-corruption watchdog, asserted that the EU still has concerns about these golden visa programs, citing risks of security breaches, money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption. A 2022 European Parliament resolution called for increased due diligence and rigorous background checks for applicants to these schemes, yet enforcement is left up to each member state.
The ECJ ruling is seen as a major moment for change in how citizenship is construed in the EU. Delia and others hope that the momentum will extend to other similar programs, ensuring that solidarity and security between EU nations are upheld and that wealthy individuals who acquired their funds through illicit means are kept out of the union.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/eu-citizenship-no-longer-for-sale/a-72416965?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
