‘They’re Rubbing Their Hands In Glee’: Abela Hits Out At Critics Of Citizenship Scheme
Prime Minister Robert Abela has defended Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme after the European Court of Justice ruled that it violates EU law by commercialising the acquisition of EU nationality.
“The legislative framework for the citizen by investment scheme was created for the benefit of the people of Malta, and they benefitted quite a lot over the years,” Abela said.
“We invested almost €1.5 billion in the people in their hour of need, such as during a pandemic, and the money was used to save jobs, support small and medium-sized business and stand by the sick and vulnerable, as well as voluntary organisations that perform extraordinary work.”
“There were those who campaigned against our country to acquire positions of power and who caused as much damage as possible against this framework.”
“Today they are rubbing their hands in glee and boasting that they endangered all of this prosperity they want the €1.5 billion that our country earned through this programme to vanish.”
Abela said that the government will respect the ECJ’s ruling and adapt the citizenship investment scheme to ensure it complies with the judgement and the people of Malta “can continue benefitting from the significant wealth that has been generated”.
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