Fat Frog Politics: it’s back to the schoolyard as Manuel Mallia tells the Opposition, “You’re jealous of our passport plans.”
The Minister for Homeland Security and the Police says, “You’re jealous.”
Opposition spokesman Jason Azzopardi gave a sit-up-and-listen speech in parliament tonight, to which Manuel Mallia’s singular response was:
YOU’RE JEALOUS BECAUSE WE’RE SELLING PASSPORTS.
To make it clear that he wasn’t just throwing numbers and accusations around, Jason Azzopardi renounced his right to protection from prosecution and civil action (parliamentary privilege) before saying that Henley & Partners, the company which the government has engaged to administer the sale of passports scheme, will be taking for each passport sold:
€140,000 commission from the seller (the government)
€100,000 commission from the buyer
Azzopardi accused the government of “knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing”, and said that we are witnessing the ‘privatisation’ of Maltese citizenship. I would say not so much privatisation as commercialisation, and that the government does know the price (or rather, market value) of much if it thinks that €25,000 – which is what a wife-and-child passport will cost – is good value for the public purse.
Azzopardi said quite pertinently that €650,000 is “nothing” to the rich. “After all, even a government minister in Malta has admitted to having €500,000 in cash at home,” he said (lovely).
He said that the government should tie the acquisition (not sale) of Maltese citizenship to heavy investment in Malta, for the creation of jobs. But when he mentioned this at a meeting on the subject between the government and the Opposition, a government consultant said that the government had been “strongly advised” to do this but responded that “it is in a rush”.
He pointed out that Henley & Partners have numerous conflicts of interest. If they are to receive €240,000 commission on each passport sold, and are also the people who will be performing due diligence and recommending whether somebody can buy a passport or not, they have no incentive to reject any application and every incentive – €240,000 worth of incentive – to accept all applications.
Azzopardi said that the government is set on making Malta the “Caribbean of the Mediterranean” by plundering wholesale the citizenship-for-cash laws of Caribbean jurisdictions St Kitts, Antigua and Grenada, which are havens for money-laundering.
When talking back, Manuel Mallia gave the game away about the real motivation for the sale of passports and the kind of people by whom the government has been approached. He said:
“We can’t miss out on this chance to allow foreigners to obtain Maltese citizenship….The advantages to them are that with a Maltese passport they will be able to travel more freely, as Maltese citizens are allowed into more than 130 countries without a visa….And rich people who, for some reason, feel insecure or under threat in their own country can become Maltese citizens. Others might become Maltese for tax reasons.”
What I find most squalid about this is the way that Manuel Mallia presents the sale of Maltese passports as an opportunity for “rich people who feel threatened in their own country to come and live in Malta”. The poor people who feel threatened in their own country, on the other hand, are the subject of quarrels and protests with the European Union, unseemly squabbles over who is going to rescue them from drowning and demands for patrols with guns to stop them leaving Libya in the first place.
Jason Azzopardi said that despite the bill not yet being made law as parliament is still debating it and hasn’t voted yet, Henley & Partners is advertising the sale of Maltese passports on its website, even saying that the key to success is “securing relationships with key partners, such as government officials”.
Henley & Partners, he said, is even now making presentations to the Russian market, telling Russians that a Maltese passport will allow them to travel to the United States without a visa. That, Azzopardi said, is a direct threat to Malta’s hard-won visa waiver from the United States.
Azzopardi described an email he has got hold of, which shows that Henley & Partners is promising its Russian clients “fast track approval for Maltese passports” against an additional 50% over and above the standard fee.
And that is quite obviously institutionalised corruption and bribery: they administer the sale-of-passports programme, they recommend or reject applicants, they take a quarter of a million euros in commission off every passport sold, and because they are the ones doing the fast-tracking, rejecting, accepting, talking to the government, they can screw applicants for what they think they are worth, over and above what they are ‘officially’ paying to the government of Malta.
What a mess.
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Is it possible that no Maltese professional outfit could manage or promote this scheme? How come those who were “scandalised” by the appointment of Mr Davies at Airmalta are so silent now?
They need foreigners to blame.
Is it possible that you see the nationality of the scheme’s managers and promoters as the only thing wrong with it?
Being Maltese or not Maltese has nothing to do with it. Giving anyone Maltese or foreigner the sole right to handle applications is a massive mistake and serves no one’s interests other than Henleys (assuming there is no one in Govt who has a finger in the pie).
Their weak justification for this monopoly is to control the way it is marketed which they said is not marketing at all. And yet they themselves are marketing it aggressively when it is not even law yet.
But of course they can because Joseph Muscat and Mallia have clearly told them that they will and can push it through Parliament – like the proverbial bully who will thumb you down just because he can.
The urgency with which they are steam rolling ahead is what is most suspect here. Surely there are more pressing issues than selling our identity?
Read the last paragraph, about how they’re going to find out whether somebody has a clean criminal record.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131028/local/sale-of-citizenship.492337#.Um7bV1MueV4
The poor people (women) who feel threatened or have no future in their (non-European) country of origin will have to make do with marrying older, overweight, ugly slobs, and sometimes producing offspring, in exchange for a European passport – only to realise that their original fate was probably the better option.
I cannot understand that after a that strong speech by Jason Azzopardi, he did not conclude by warning that when the PN is returned to power, these citizenships will be declared null and void.
[Daphne – Because you can’t do that. That is a Mintoffian tactic. There is the rule of law to consider.]
It’s only a Mintoffian tactic if you do it retroactively without a priori notification. Criminal activity has a statute of limitations but let’s not exaggerate.
The PN should point out that they will, when returned to power, repeat the due diligence process periodically, and that those having lied and found to have a disreputable past will have their citizenship revoked, their Maltese assets confiscated and will be deported to their country of origin if they should set foot on Malta.
We know they will have property here because Henley has an estate agency which will no doubt set up here too. Whilst on the subject of Henley, it should also be made known to them that fast tracking is considered to be corrupt practice, and that their activities will be scrutinised and prosecutions will occur and international warrants will be issued if necessary.
Well those who are being bullies shouldn’t then be permitted to get the protection of the rule of law.
I am sure many will shy away from taking this up if they stand to lose citizenship with a change in government.
Something like a citizenship programme MUST enjoy the full support of the House. Having said that the current law allows citizenship to be granted at the sole discretion of the Minister. Rarely invoked i am sure but there and open to a lot of abuse. Something which the PN should have changed in all these years.
What this new scheme does is just fleshes out the current law, spelling it out that we will give our citizenship away for simply cash just like a prostitute would, and in process gives Henleys a huge gift by allowing it to be the only pimp. I don’t know what that makes Joseph Muscat? The mother of all pimps?
You’re all talking bollocks. And most of you are lawyers too. What if these new Maltese citizens, between now and a PN victory (some time in the deep future) renounce any other citizenships and keep just the Maltese one? What then?
Will we make them stateless? Can’t you see this is foolish talk? If anything is to be done, it must be done now. And l-Istrina season be damned.
Well said, Baxxter.
Actually, I heard Jason Azzopardi saying just that on dot Net yesterday morning but I think it was a repetition programme.
He said that a future PN government will revoke all passports which are dubious especially if PL insists on keeping recipients of citizenship secret.
He said that this was not the official standing of the PN yet as they’re still hoping that common sense and decency will prevail.
Well done, Jason
Jason for Kap. That was a SHIT-HOT intervention on his part. Mallia’s response was one of pure panic. Obscene bastard, which counts equally for the rest of his parliamentary bench-mates.
Jason shook them to their foundations.
Serrhu raskom ghax l-ahhar kelma ta’ Manuel u dak hatru Joseph u allura ghandu dritt jiddeciedi.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131028/local/government-to-have-final-say-in-granting-of-citizenship-minister.492336#.Um7A0FPFrZg
Well, at least there seems to be some hope in the Nationalist Party.
Touche, Dr Azzopardi!
Chapeau
From money laundering to crooks laundering. That’s Malta’s Individual Investment Program.
From now on, a Maltese passport will get us into trouble, rather than get us out of trouble.
I am going to be ashamed to show my Maltese passport in foreign countries from now on. But I am going to put a sticker on it with the words “No, I did not buy this from Henley & Partners.”
And to those who want to remove the George Cross from the Maltese Flag, I say, go ahead. Let’s put an image of the Maltese passport instead, with the words “For Euro 650,000.”
Jason Azzopardi is proving his mettle. What happened to others who usually articulate a good argument, like Francis Zammit Dimech? There seems to be too many PN MPs who are keeping a low profile.
Recent events made me reflect that the country is being run by “Il-Gvern tal-Familja Muscat” (Government by the Muscat Family) – you know, several public appearances by MeShall, high teas in Castille, soirees with the High Society and so on.
Now that I read this piece, it is really looking like Muscat is modelling his government on that of Aliyev. This piece is dated 8 October.
http://www.transparency.org/news/feature/abusing_democracy_power_elites_in_azerbaijan
For my sanity’s sake I wish to slip into a coma … Wake me up when it’s all over, please.
Great photo of Manwel – the resemblance is uncanny.
Would you know if it is possible to file a constitutional case against the Maltese government should this proposed ‘cash for passports’ legislation pass through parliament?
Lets face it this would seriously breach our constitutional rights as Maltese citizens. I really hope the European Union takes Malta to court on this as well.
Jason has balls, more people like him is what the PN needs against this backwater government
In other news today, another section of the local media picked the news that Gasol plc – a member of the consortium which the Labour government chose as the preferred bidder for the Enemalta gas plant – has issued yet more debt to finance its future projects.
The company – whose last annual report for the financial year close 31 March 2013 shows as having serious financial issues – continues to finance itself from bond holders, not shareholders. The identity of the new creditors, who at this stage can be better called “benefactors,” is once again not published.
http://www.gasolplc.com/media/18771/euro_medium_term_note_instrument.pdf
So essentially, that which makes Maltese passport valuable today will be lost once this scheme comes into play and no one will want to buy them and all we will be left with is more barriers for the Maltese travelling.
Prosit Jason. Another emerging PN star. There is still hope for the PN. What a relief.
Joseph Muscat’s disregard of real investment in Malta continues unabated.
In a throwaway remark during his speech yesterday, Joseph Muscat accused the gaming industry, one of the most vibrant industries in Malta in recent years, of being immoral.
He actually had the temerity to say that flogging passports is more worthy of a nation than attracting companies which invest in the country and create real jobs.
Someone should tell him that the gaming industry is tightly regulated, that only those over 18 are allowed to play and that adults can choose to spend their money as they wish. If spending 50 euros at a restaurant is fine, so is spending 50 euros at a casino. There will always be people who take things to extreme but that doesn’t make a pastime industry like gaming immoral.
Establishing a gaming industry in Malta was one of the PN’s best successes in recent years in fact.
His comment was reported in the print edition of The Times of Malta, Monday 28th October, in an article titled PM: We Must Act Fast to Launch Citizenship Sales. His comment is towards the end of the first column.
http://i.imgur.com/XM8bJR9.jpg
Can’t the EU do anything about this? Is it possible that the EU does not have any proviso in its laws to stop
the selling of citizenship? After all, it involves the EU directly since a Maltese passport equates to an EU passport.
Allelulja………PROSIT Jason
Minister Mallia is the modern Gonsalvo Monroy. I think that this will be the second time in history since the 1400s that Malta was sold for money.
Reminds me of the ‘Dark Empire’ so ominously close to what we are witnessing unfolding.
Indeed. The dark side of the Force is strong with this one.
These men are absolutely shameless.
The problem lies in that MLP has a strong majority in parliament and not one of its MPs would ever have the guts to vote against such an obscene law.
Can the EU intervene?
Is there anything we Maltese can do to stop this madness? I’m sure a protest will be for nothing.
It is back to then end of the queue for us decent Maltese citizens each time we travel. Our passports will be double checked now that we are dishing them out to any shady Tom Dick and Harry. Twenty five years of building up a reputation gone up in smoke in just seven and a half months.
Prosit, Jason.
Henley & Partner
My major worry is that come next elections, Henley & Partners will contact their secret list of passport holders and request contributions to Labour’s war chest, failing which, they may risk being stripped of their Maltese citizenship if the Nationalist party is returned to government. The Opposition should gear themselves up for such an eventuality and closely watch this company.
“Azzopardi described an email he has got hold of, which shows that Henley & Partners is promising its Russian clients “fast track approval for Maltese passports” against an additional 50% over and above the standard fee.”
That is enough to dismiss Henley & Partners from the administration of the scheme.
Make no mistake about it; I would like to see the Labour Party dead and buried with a granite slab so big, the Angel Gabriel himself wouldn’t be able to move it, as much as the next man.
However, the success story of a team very often depends on the support it gets from its ‘fans’ and so I don’t think that the lambasting the PN keeps getting about their apparent slumber does much to improve the situation.
Calling for a change in leadership and moaning about insufficient whipping of this arrogant lot will only help to weaken further the Opposition.
The thing is, those calling for a change in leadership are thinking of Jason Azzopardi in terms of an Opposition Leader. But you have to think of the Opposition Leader in terms of a future prime minister. The last thing that Malta needs, after the devastation wreaked by Labour, is yet another home-grown, streetwise, Maltese-trained PM with his coterie of canvassers and hangers-on.
I cannot but totally agree with you especially on the last sentence.
The adrenalin of any party depends upon how its supporters pump it in. I don’t think that anybody can dispute the immense prop that Fenech Adami gave his party when Opposition Leader and eventually Prime Minister but it will be a huge mistake to minimise the great contribution given by Louis Galea as Secretary General and the ever increasing dependence of the members whenever asked to rally around.
A party gets eroded when its representatives start to believe themselves to be demi-gods and that they are irreplaceable. This normally happens when their ‘coterie of fawning canvassers’ start feeding them the drivel they like to hear rather than the truth that they need to absorb. This they do for obvious reasons.
Simon Busuttil can be faulted on many counts, but he is not beholden to any bazuzlu. What a refreshing change.
From Switzerland in the Mediterranean, Malta is being turned into Laundry of the Mediterranean.
The Fat Frog does not even begin to understand the huge risk in which he places Malta where money laundering is concerned.
They are opening the doors so this can actually happen under the disguise of a law passed by Parliament. L-aqwa li jkollu l-flus halli jibghat lil tas-Super One go Londra.
“And rich people who, for some reason, feel insecure or under threat in their own country can become Maltese citizens,” he said.
Open the doors to Russian crooks and you will have the Russian mafia operating from Malta to advance its European activities.
Minister Mallia has built an entire career and fortune on advancing the interests of criminals by keeping them out of jail, and it has shaped his thinking.
The fat frog understands and very well the risks for Malta … he just couldn’t care less.
In this case Maliia was forced to use the jealousy option.
The other option “araw x’ghamiltu intkom” would have been completely irrelevant in the circumstances.
The Minister’s debating skills border on the Churchillian.
With so much money involved in commission, I suspect kickbacks, and you know what I mean.
Unfortunately I could not hear Jason’s speech. Is there a way to hear a recording?
[Daphne – The parliament website]
Yes, it is scandalous that the Malta Labour Party, manages to exploit the plight of people fleeing their country, where the rich get to save their skin.
I knew Muscat wasn’t at all leftist, but this takes it to a new level.
Trying to imagine the world these people inhabit makes me, frankly, sick. One where a watch has to be gold if it must fit, where a wife is trophy, work nothing but an ego trip.
I had no idea the worst traits could be personified by Labour to this extent, hypocrisy, convenience and indolence rule.
Where have all the leftist ‘intellectuals’ gone? Zammit Marmara, Ghirxi, Spiteri, Licari et al, where are you?
Gone are your rallying cries for equality, utopia, rights, minorities, peace, social justice. You’ve been had, all of you.
You utter w*nkers.
Thanks Dr.Azzopardi.No the PN is not in a deep slumber.It is just not like the PL which is an empty vessel making the most sound.
Henley is taking €240.000 commission on every passport it sells. Who knows maybe there are people who get a cut or kickback from that. Corruption a la Partit Laburista.