Why doesn’t the government and DISY want transparency on the citizenship-by-investment-scheme?
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou on the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project report
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 14th May 2020, Nicosia
The investigative journalism platform, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), in one of its press reports refers to the granting of Cypriot passports by the Anastasiades government to a Saudi prince and to members of his family. On the occasion of this news, the Platform brings back a number of issues related to the Cypriot citizenship-by-investment-scheme and the criticism of the Republic of Cyprus the EU makes for abusing the “golden passport” business.
The government is once again called upon to provide answers on the specific case of the Saudi prince, but also on the general issues that still remain unanswered by the government.
The government must give answers to the following questions:
- Were the criteria in force at the time of the application applied to the Saudi prince and his family members?
- When will the government bring Rules to Parliament regulating the criteria and preconditions for the granting of citizenships to foreign investors?
- Why does the government disrespect Parliament, which in February 2019 – despite the opposition of ruling DISY party – approved legislation calling on the government to submit to the Parliament Regulations on the citizenship-by-investment-scheme? Why haven’t the Regulations been submitted 3 and a half months after the deadline has passed?
- Why doesn’t the government and DISY want transparency in the citizenship-by-investment-scheme?
