On Wednesday 2 March the Maltese government announced the suspension of “golden passports” for Russian and Belarusian nationals.
A few days earlier, Malta resisted calls to stop these procedures, despite the European Commission’s appeals (see EUROPE 12900/7). The Prime Minister, Robert Abela, indicated that the verification procedures were strict and prevented abuse. In a reversal of the previous situation, the government explained in its statement on Wednesday that “recent developments” had prevented these audits from being carried out properly.
The suspension applies both to passports and so-called “golden” visas, which allow third-country nationals to obtain Maltese citizenship or residence status in exchange for promising investment. Renewals of visa applications will still be examined “on a case-by-case basis, with increased vigilance”, according to the Maltese government.
Furthermore, Malta, together with Cyprus, is currently undergoing an infringement proceeding initiated by the European Commission for issuing these “golden passports” (see EUROPE 12737/33). (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)