‘There is no ID card crisis at Identity Malta,’ Justice Minister insists

The Maltese government has once again denied the existence of an “ID card crises”, insisting that a number of reports by the Malta Independent were incorrect.

On Sunday and Monday, the Malta Independent reported that Identity Malta was facing an internal crisis with the alleged “collapse of the ID cards system”. The newspaper said it read an internal report showing that, out of a sample of 300 people on the ID card registry, 80 were found to hold more than one ID card; five of them even held three ID cards under the same name with three different ID numbers.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici has however denied such “crises”.

“It is not true that Identity Malta is facing an internal crisis. It is not true that there is a collapse of the ID cards system. There is no internal report relating to problems emanating from sampling of the ID card registry. It is not true that an internal inquiry was called,” a statement issued by the Ministry for Justice read.

“Today’s front page story is, again, fraught with incorrect statements.”

This morning, the Malta Independent reported that a 2016 court case had revealed how an accused – a foreigner – had been issued with two identity documents.

Making specific reference to the court case quoted by the Malta Independent, the ministry said that the Serb national had not been issued with two different ID cards and neither did he hold two valid residence documents at the same time.

He submitted an application under a different surname.

“[The man] was originally in possession of a residence document issued on the basis of a Yugoslavian passport. Years later, when his previous residence document expired, he submitted an application for another residence permit on the basis of a new Serbian passport showing a different surname,” the ministry said.

The justice ministry argued that the ID cards unit within Identity Malta only issues ID cards for Maltese citizens. Expatriates - be they European Union or third country nationals - are not issued an ID card but a residence document.

“This residence document does not entitle anyone to vote in general elections and there is absolutely no link at all between a residence document and the right to vote in general elections because holders of a residence document are not entitled to vote in general elections,” it said.

According to PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami, there are individuals who have been registered twice – and in some cases even three times – in the electoral register. 

The ministry also argued that, once a Maltese citizen is issued with a new ID card, all previous cards are invalidated and Identity Malta holds and registers details for tracking purposes.

“The fact that a Maltese citizen holds a valid identity card does not entitle him or her to an automatic right to vote. An example is the case of Maltese citizens who have been given an effective and serious prison sentence by the Courts. 

“The Electoral Commission, and not Identity Malta, is the body which regulates issues of voting rights and Identity Malta has no say whatsoever in determining which Maltese citizens have a right to vote or otherwise.”