Updated | Simon Busuttil slams government's 'fake' consultation on IIP

Last updated at 8:03pm to add government's reaction

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil today met representatives of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) to explain the Nationalist Party’s objections to the controversial citizenship scheme.

Slamming the government's claims of having held a wide consultation process with all stakeholders as "fake," Busuttil said that the PN insisted to hold meetings with civil society representatives to explain its objections and listen to the social partner's reaction.

Pointing out that the majority of MCESD representatives had not been consulted, Busuttil said that the PN’s objections were based on the principle of selling citizenship, the ridicule and damage the scheme was attracting and the conditions of the revamped scheme. 

Last month the government launched a revamped citizenship scheme which will require wealthy foreigners to invest at least €1.15 million in order to obtain a Maltese passport. Applicants must also invest in property and government bonds and shares before being granted citizenship.

But in a brief reaction, the government said describing the consultation as fake was "surprising".

"Busuttil himself had declared that both sides had been engaged in discussions and that an agreement would soon be reached," the OPM said, adding the comments had been carried out on 15 December.

"The truth is that there were long hours of consultation and the government listened and understood the citizens' position. The citizens wanted an innovative programme, transparent and with a stronger bond between the individual and the country."

The government said the changes were implemented and together with the MFSA and constituted bodies, a new programme was developed. The new programme, it insisted, would attract high net worth individuals.

"Our objection is not about how much it is sold for but that it must not be be sold in the first place," the Opposition leader however insisted. 

Stressing that the PN was consistent in its opposition to the scheme, Busuttil said that his party had objected to the scheme before and after it was approved by Parliament in November. He added that upon the publication of the scheme's second draft on Christmas Eve "the government embarked on a propaganda campaign bankrolled by the tax payer to convince the Maltese people and not foreigners."

He said that in the coming days the opposition would "challenge" the legal notice in Parliament by presenting a motion to attack the legal notice's validity "to block the notice and stop the scheme."

The PN leader added that the PN would also step up the pressure through the European Parliament debate on the scheme to be held next week.

At the end of the two-hour meeting, Busuttil said that the meeting was not held to impose the opposition's position on the MCESD members but to get the PN's message through  and listen to their concerns. 

"There are other ways through which government can attract investment and achieve economic growth," Busuttil said. 

He said the opposition was seeking legitimate measures in Parliament to challenge the lgal notive and although Busuttil stressed that the PN would deal with the issue cautiously he  did not exclude proposing an abrogative referendum to repeal the scheme.

"We hope that common sense prevails and expect the government to either scrap the scheme or amend it to ensure that the scheme is one of investment," busuttil said.

Busuttil also noted that he would be holding two further meetings with MCESD later this week. Moreover the prime minister will be meeting MCESD members on Friday