Government denies Henley will pocket €140,000 for each passport application

Government tonight denied that Henley & Partners, the company which will handle the applications of wealthy foreigners interested in obtaining a Maltese passport against a payment of €650,000  will earn up to €140,000 from each application.

Home affairs minister Manuel Mallia "categorically denied" Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi's claims that the concessionaire is set to pocket a to €140,000 commission for each application.

"As usual the opposition MP jumped to gthe wrong conclusion without making the necessary research. These actions are either down to political immaturity or with an intent to hinder the programme which will benefit the Maltese economy," the government statement said.
  
It added that the opposition was resorting to the same scaremongering tactics it used before the March election, because the PN was envious of the government's proactive policies which will reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

Yesterday evening, Azzopardi reiterated the opposition's criticism of the Indivisual Investor Programme, which could see foreign millionaires pay €650,000 for a passport, without residing permanently in Malta

In recent weeks, the Nationalist Party has insisted that it did not oppose the concept, however it would only vote in favour of the scheme if this is directly linked to long-term investment by applicants which would create jobs and foster economic growth.

The opposition has also expressed its concerns over the quality of persons who would be interested in applying for the scheme, which could put Malta's reputation as a financial services centre at stake.

Divesting himself from Parliamentary privilege, opposition MP Jason Azzopardi said that the concessionaire Henley & Partners, chosen by the government as the Individual Investor Programme's sole promoter, would pocket a €140,000 commission from government for every approved application apart from a further  €100,000 from the applicants themselves.