Comments on: ABC News: ‘EU urges Malta to cancel plans to sell passports’

By: ciccio

ciccio — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 13:54:42 +0000

Well, the governments cannot officially boycott anything, but in substance, the damage which the Maltese government is inflicting on our reputation will do that job instead. If we become a rogue state of Europe, people who respect their own reputation will find it difficult to do business with us.

I also have a slight reservation about the subject of free movement of persons.

If an EU country can argue that a person acquring a Maltese passport through purchase under Joseph Muscat’s Individual Investor Program did so because Malta violated the EU treaties and international law, then that country can attempt to stop entry into its territory to such person.

It will be up to the Maltese government or to the EU to then take legal action against that country to argue that it was acting in breach of EU treaties and that the Maltese government was right in issuing those sold passports. Legal issues can be tricky.

By: admin

admin — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 02:51:52 +0000

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131215/local/Austria-comparisons-to-citizenship-deal-odious-.498976#.UtlZL3ikrCQ

By: Kukkurin

Kukkurin — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 21:38:02 +0000

In reply to Maria. I think that the PN has done a great job in full loyalty to the country and, yes, also to its government. The government has misinterpreted that as treason.

By: Robert Barathian

Robert Barathian — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 20:12:56 +0000

Dear Daphne . Many thanks for your reply. So, since it is established that EU member states cannot stop other bona fide EU citizens from entering their countries, can these same member states legally encourage their citizens and business people to boycott anything Maltese, like tourism, trade and such like.

[Daphne – No, of course not.]

By: vanni

vanni — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 16:02:08 +0000

In reply to Maria. I would tread warily here, Daphne. The secrecy clause still stands. Should the PN threaten to withdraw any passport sold, all records will be destroyed, and good luck trying to find them. Muscat is being slowly cornered, and we all know what happens with rats.

By: Maria

Maria — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:37:14 +0000

Further to my comment, it is the responsibility and business of the PN, the Party in Opposition, to insist with Europe and the rest of the world that once in government, the Nationalist Party would revoke all citizenship obtained under the present scheme.

That should shake prospective buyers of Maltese passports. The PN needs to hit back hard, constantly and consistently, at such misuse and abuse of power. That is its main job.

By: Robert Barathian

Robert Barathian — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:36:24 +0000

I would like someone to enlighten me on this one. Whilst acknowledging the fact that internal decisions and law-making such as the introduction of divorce or the right of a woman to abort are the prerogative of each member state, would the member states whose EU parliamentarians voted against the IIP scheme be acting within their rights in refusing entry into their country any person holding a Maltese passport?

[Daphne – DEFINITELY NOT. That’s what the EU is all about: freedom of movement. Specific persons can be denied entry for specific reasons but not because they hold the passport of any one EU member state.]

By: Pat Zahra

Pat Zahra — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:27:43 +0000

In reply to canon. All holders of Maltese passports will eventually find it more difficult to get a job in an EU member state. And, if they do, they will be under a cloud from the start because the general perception of us is that we are unreliable and traitorous. Nice work Joey!

By: daffid

daffid — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:20:39 +0000

In reply to canon. Or now for the rest of us, who have had citizenship since birth.. what a sorry state.

By: vanni

vanni — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:18:05 +0000

Not available online at this time:
http://i40.tinypic.com/2d9sqjd.jpg

Newspaper is today’s Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung