Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/213780
2 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2013 Cacopardo doesn't exclude joining forces with PN AD Deputy Chairman Carmel Cacopardo CARMEL Cacopardo, the Deputy Chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika and Spokesperson on Sustainable Development and Home Affairs, did not rule out that AD will join forces with the Nationalist Party in an effort to change the citizenship scheme. Cacopardo, a former president of the PN administrative council, said: "It's too early to come to any conclusions. AD has to determined whether there are going to be any amendments in the IIP citizenship scheme. It's not healthy for any participant to start assuming and speculating." An abrogative referendum was first proposed by AD when it called on civil society to unite against the amendments to the Maltese Citizenship Act. On Sunday, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil gave the government "another chance" to amend the Individual Investor Programme, suggesting that failing to change the citizenship scheme would see the PN seeking a national alliance for an abrogative referendum. Addressing the PN general council, Busuttil made it clear that he was ready to seek and form a national alliance if the government were to refuse to amend the law. "I know you're expecting me to announce that I'll be collecting signatures for an abrogative referendum. Instead, I'm going to urge the government to reconsider and amend the regulations. It is my final appeal to the government. I want to give seeking consensus another chance," Busuttil said. At the eleventh hour, the government agreed to remove a secrecy clause prohibiting the publication of names of individuals granted citizenship under the IIP. According to the Opposition, it was its insistence that forced government's hands. A survey by MaltaToday showed that an absolute majority of those interviewed are in principle against the sale of Maltese citizenship to foreigners. While 53% are against the sale of citizenship to foreigners willing to pay €650,000 as proposed by the government, 10% would only grant citizenship to those who make a significant investment in the country over and above the €650,000 donation. This suggests that nearly twothirds of the Maltese are against the citizenship scheme proposed by the government, which offers citizenship against a €650,000 donation. However, last week the Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech said that the government is to remove a confidentiality clause from the Individual Investment Programme, so that the names would not be kept secret. This clause would have meant that new citizens who buy their passports by paying €650,000 into the scheme, would remain secret. Download the MaltaToday App