Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/208710
€1.20 maltatoday YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT MGR CHARLES SCICLUNA INTERVIEWED PGS 12-13 Download the MaltaToday App now SUNDAY • 10 NOVEMBER 2013 • ISSUE 731 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY mt survey MAJORITY SAY YES TO BUDGET, NO TO SALE OF CITIZENSHIP THE absolute majority (53%) of Maltese say Budget 2014 has affected them positively, but an equal number are against Joseph Muscat's plan to sell Maltese citizenship against a donation of €650,000. The controversial Individual Investor Programme, passed in the House on Friday, is expected to yield over €30 million for the public coffers, half of which will be poured directly towards the consolidated fund, while the other half will be 'ring-fenced' in a new, national development fund. Government is hoping it is this injection that will limit the extent to which it will depend on direct and indirect taxes to finance its spending, but the IIP has exposed Muscat to criticism that it devalues Maltese citizenship, while keeping the identity of recipients of the 'golden passport' secret. The MaltaToday survey shows that with the exception of a slight majority of Labour voters, there is widespread opposition to the new citizenship scheme among all sectors of society. Significantly 29% of Labour voters are against the scheme while a further 17% insist that the €650,000 donation should be accompanied by a significant investment in the country. Although the Opposition claims it is against the IIP, it is demanding a higher and more tangible form of investment as a payment for the sale of citizenship. PN unfazed by Grima nomination How did Budget 2014 affect you? POSITIVELY 52.6% 3.5% NEGATIVELY 'SO AND SO' DON'T KNOW 23.2% 20.6% Do you agree with the sale of citizenship for 650,000? YES 9.8% 26% ONLY IF ACCOMPANIED BY INVESTMENT NO 11.1% 53.1% DON'T KNOW THE GREAT CITIZENSHIP DEBATE • INSIDE Muscat makes his way to the Chamber of the House of Representatives: although his Budget was welcomed by the majority of respondents, his €30 million citizenship sale has been given a resounding thumbs down FULL SURVEY • pages 10-11 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE • page 8 WHERE CITIZENSHIP SELLS • page 9 EDITORIAL • page 27 Footy-tax only for part-timers JURGEN BALZAN & DANIEL MIZZI A 'last-minute' attempt at placating the Opposition by foisting Lawrence Gonzi's former cabinet secretary Godwin Grima as a regulator for the Individual Investor Programme, was a decision taken three weeks earlier by the Prime Minister. But Joseph Muscat's sliding tackle failed to neutralise the opposition from the Nationalist Party, whose amendments to the golden passport law passed yesterday in the House were refused outright by the government. While the opposition dubbed the IIP "a prostitution of Maltese citizenship", Muscat's sole concession was to remove the minister's discretion at granting the €650,000 passport to applicants facing 'politically motivated charges'. But a scorned Simon Busuttil yesterday said a new PN government would immediately publish the secret list of applicants who will become naturalised Maltese citizens under the IIP. PARLIAMENT • PAGE 8 CACHIA CARUANA Notes from inside Castille EXCLUSIVE Top secret notes give insight into the man who ran the Prime Minister's office from the late 1980s to 2004 PAGE 16 A government plan to reduce income tax to 7.5% for Maltese footballers will only apply to part-time players, MaltaToday has learnt. The initiative announced by Edward Scicluna in last week's Budget gave the impression that all footballers would benefit from a reduced income tax rate, but the reason for the special tax rate is intended at reducing illegal top-ups on the capped salary for part-time footballers. CONTINUES PG 7 2.0% instant access savings account Powered by FIMBank Fixed Term Deposits 3 month 2.6% 1 year 2.85% 6 month 2.7% 2 year 3.00% 9 month 2.8% 3 year 3.25% Open your online savings account and start earning a high interest rate on your daily savings, with a minimum deposit of €50. Alternatively consider tieing your funds for a fixed term and benefit from a superior interest rate with a minimum deposit of €1,000. All interest rates are quoted on a gross per annum basis. 2132 2102 helpdesk@easisave.com Newspaper post JAMES DEBONO www.easisave.com FIMBank p.l.c. is a licensed credit institution in Malta with company registration C17003, is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority and listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. The Bank is a participant of the Depositor Compensation Scheme in Malta. Terms and conditions apply.