Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1453707
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 FEBRUARY 2022 NEWS LUKE VELLA ADPD – The Green Party has called for an end to the sale of citizenships, calling the "golden passports" scheme unacceptable. In a press conference in Castille Square in Valletta on Saturday, ADPD called for the citizenship scheme to be discontinued, be- fore it a ban is imposed on Malta. Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD chairperson, said citizenship matters were the competence of the individual Member States but remarked this was not an ab- solute right. "Each member state had an obligation, on the basis of the loyalty principle as explained in the EU treaties, not to do an- ything that impacts on the other member states. EU citizenship gives free movement rights with- in the Schengen area – a right that no country can grant to any- one who is not entitled to it." He said many persons who ob- tained citizenship through the scheme, formerly the Individual Investor Programme, had been involved in financial crime "in spite of all the supposedly careful due diligence that should have been carried out." Malta sells citizenship to the global elite at a price tag of €650,000 with a mandatory prop- erty or rental investment, and fi- nancial investment in bonds and stocks. A report presented to the Eu- ropean Parliament on such citi- zenship-by-investment schemes highlights that this risk cannot be properly assessed because of a lack of transparency as well as weak vetting of the applicants. In this regard besides Malta, the report also refers to similar schemes in Cyprus and Bulgaria. "Although the Maltese govern- ment had revised the original scheme with an increased em- phasis on residency, this can still lead to citizenship. So far, there has not been any feedback from the European Commission about the revised scheme," Cacopardo said. Cacopardo said the proposal being put forward to the Europe- an Parliament, requests that such schemes are discontinued by not later than 2025. "ADPD is the only party that has consistently insisted that the 'golden passports' schemes are not acceptable because they attracted persons linked to fi- nancial criminality, as has in fact resulted, but also put our country in the spotlight leading to irrep- arable damage as in the case of the FATF grey listing. We have voiced our concerns about this since the first scheme was pro- posed in 2014." ADPD deputy chairperson and candidate Mario Mallia said it was clear that member states' competence in relation to citi- zenship is not an absolute one. "EU treaties refer to the loy- alty principle which should be adopted by member states [...] As has been reported extensive- ly in the media many of those who received Maltese citizen- ship through the 'golden pass- port' scheme had been previously charged with fraud, contraband, money laundering and tax eva- sion. All this after Malta had car- ried out its supposedly 'rigorous' due diligence," Mallia stated. "What is wrong remains wrong - in spite of all the theatrics we saw from the Nationalist Party's side this week with respect to the regulator, nothing, not even PN's posturing, will negate the fact that, as also stated in the EP report, European values are not for sale and European citizenship should not be considered as a product to be marketed," Mallia said. 'Stop golden passports before Europe does it for Malta' - ADPD ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that a proposal put forward to the European Parliament requests that citizenship-by-investment schemes are discontinued by not later than 2025 maltatoday Poll the nation polar.com.mt LUKE VELLA THE energy and water regulator slapped Vella Fuel Supplies with a €5,000 administrative fine for unlicened dispensation of mo- tor fuel to private vehicles. MaltaToday had reported last December that the Regulator for Energy and Water Servic- es (REWS) was investigating footage and photos showing a significant number of vehicles lining up by a fuel distribution vehicle belonging to Vella Fuel Supplies, at the former Trade Fair grounds in Naxxar. The motorists were seen refu- elling directly from the tank of the company vehicle, an illegal activity, since vehicles could only be refuelled from a pump- ing station. On its Facebook page, the company says it pro- vides fuels, kerosene, heating gas oil and diesel to farmers and industries. REWS confirmed that the supplier was fined, with a tem- porary suspension of its licence lifted once the fine was paid. "Following an investigation by the Regulator, enforcement action was taken against the opera-tor involved. The au- thorisation of the operator was suspended, and subsequent- ly an administrative fine was levied from the operator. The suspension of the authorisation was lifted after the fine was paid and it was ensured that the ille- gal activity ceased," REWS told MaltaToday. "According to regulations, au- thorised providers are prohib- ited from loading, discharging and transferring petroleum and, or fuels directly into motor ve- hicles, unless done with the spe- cific approval in writing of the Regulator." Offences under the Inland Fuel Market Regulations carry prison terms of up to eighteen months, or fines of €69,000 and daily €1,300 fines. Offences un- der the Regulator for Energy and Water Services Act carry a maximum €115,000 and two- year prison term. MaltaToday received proof of another fuel distribution inci- dent, this time involving a dif- ferent supplier, PH. Borg Ltd. REWS said that no action was taken against this supplier, be- cause the situation was of an emergency nature. "The inves- tigation you refer to has been finalised. It has been concluded that no further action should be taken, given the circumstances of the case which occurred in an emergency situation," REWS said. €5,000 fine for illegal fuel distribution flagged by MaltaToday