ITS CBI SCHEME CANCELLED BY THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE, MALTA INTENDS TO USE A VAGUE CITIZENSHIP BY MERIT PROGRAM TO GIVE EU ACCESS TO DODGY APPLICANTS

The Republic of Malta, it having been determined by the ECJ that its IIM (CBI) passport sales program as implemented (which gave applicants seamless entry into all the other Member states of the EU) was inconsistent with core principles of nationality, has announced that it will now try to modify its program to admit applicants through what it deceptively calls CITIZENSHIP BY MERIT. This new proposed program intends to grant individuals with special achievements citizenship, and it contains enough loopholes for Malta's corrupt leaders to drive a truck through. Of course given that the ruling party's de facto leader, JOSEPH MUSCAT, was once named the most corrupt government officials in the EU, we expect nothing less.

The proposed programme, which apparently offers Maltese government officials carte blanche regarding the cost to "qualifying" applicants, has no real guidelines or parameters, aside from some vague statements, will be open season for dodgy white collar criminals, international sanctions evaders and terrorist financiers who are magically found to be meritorious. Expect individuals from nations knowns to be State Sponsors of Terrorism. or jurisdictions banned from CBI elsewhere, to also pick up that valuable EU entry document. It is also fully expected that plenty or bribes will facilitate approval by government functionaries.

In short, it will be business as usual in Malta, regarding the ability of dodgy applicants of all calibers to acquire that passport, leaving them free to commit whatever crimes they chose to engage in, wherever in the EU their "business" takes them, even if that means espionage. We trust the European Union's Members will soon see through this nonsense, and put a quick stop to it.