With reference to the recently adopted law on the sale of Maltese citizenship, Prof. Arnold Cassola, Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party, said: “Following the reactions in the international press, some of which are disparaging towards our country, we are quite worried, not only as politicians but even as Maltese citizens, about the secrecy shrouding the concession of this type of citizenship, which is giving rise to a number of questions and doubts abroad about the seriousness of our country. These doubts and questions could endanger the good reputation that Malta has built for itself as a centre for financial services. The consequences of such loss of trust could be the loss of millions of euros income for our country and loss of jobs.
“We thus appeal to the government not to implement this law before it is revised in a credible way,” concluded Prof. Cassola.
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B’referenza għal-liġi li għadha kemm għaddiet dwar il-bejgh taċ-ċittadinanza Maltija, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “Wara r-reazzjonijiet tal-istampa internazzjonali, uħud minnhom li jpinġu lil Malta f’dawl ikrah, ninsabu preokkupati ħafna, bħala ċittadini Maltin u mhux biss bħala politiċi, bis-segretezza marbuta mal-għoti ta’ dan it-tip ta’ ċittadinanza, li qed tqajjem serje ta’ mistoqsijiet u dubji barra minn Malta dwar is-serjeta’ ta’ pajjiżna. Dawn id-dubji u mistoqsijiet jistgħu jipperikolaw l-isem tajjeb li għamlet għaliha nnifisha Malta bħala ċentru ta’ servizzi finanzjarji. Konsegwentement dan jista’ jissarraf f’telfien ta’ miljuni ta’ ewro introjtu għal pajjiżna u telfien ta’ postijiet tax-xogħol.
“Qegħdin għalhekk nappellaw lill-Gvern biex ma jdaħħalx f’seħħ din il-liġi qabel ma tiġi riveduta b’mod kredibbli,” temm jgħid il-Prof. Cassola.
