The European Court of Justice declared Malta's golden passport scheme illegal, citing its violation of EU law. The controversial cash-for-citizenship program allowed individuals to obtain Maltese and subsequently EU citizenship for significant financial investment, leading to concerns about money laundering and security risks. The ruling highlights the detrimental impact on mutual trust between EU member states and emphasizes the commercialization of citizenship. Malta's government is currently assessing the judgment's legal implications to align its citizenship regulations with EU standards, following accusations of granting citizenship to individuals with minimal ties to the nation.
The judges examined a 2020 scheme that allowed people who had given up to 750,000 to Malta and in theory spent 12 months in the country to gain citizenship.
Malta's golden passport scheme has long been criticised by transparency campaigners, who said it opened the door to money laundering, corruption, and security risks.
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