The EU's Court of Justice has ruled against Malta's citizenship-by-investment program, stating that nationality cannot be acquired through payments or investments. This ruling, which arose from a case Brussels took to court in 2022, mandates Malta to comply or face fines. While member states can decide on nationality, this discretion must align with EU law principles. The Maltese scheme was particularly scrutinized for jeopardizing mutual trust among EU nations, especially as wealthy individuals from Russia and China exploited it for citizenship. Similar initiatives in Cyprus and Bulgaria were also abandoned in the past.
The court emphasized that the acquisition of nationality should not be treated as a mere commercial transaction, reaffirming the importance of compliance with EU law.
Malta's scheme was criticized for undermining trust between member states, highlighting that nationality cannot be granted interchangeably for economic benefits.
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