Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer has indicated his disagreement with Malta’s de-facto sale of passports to wealthy individuals
Engerer hints on disagreement with Malta’s ‘Golden Passport’ sale
Despite having voted against a European Parliament resolution for an EU-wide ban of citizenship-by-investment schemes, Engerer on Sunday appeared to express his disagreement with such schemes.
On Instagram, the MEP linked a Times of Malta story about a well-integrated man who had been arrested in his hair salon in Ħamrun and detained at Ħal Safi.
“If only he had the money to buy citizenship. Tough with the poor, generous with the rich”, Engerer appeared to criticise authorities for carrying out policies set by the Labour government.
In 2022, Engerer and the other Maltese PL MEPs voted against a ban of citizenship-by-investment schemes, making them the only members of the S&D group to do so.
Recently, a series of arrests and deportations hit the headlines following raids on foreign nationals who may not have the papers to legally stay in Malta.
Engerer went on to quote a verse of the Labour Party anthem in what appeared to be an attempt to remind his party of its principles:
“Tagħder qalbna l-ġuħ u l-faqar, Dmugħna jkun għall-imnikktin, Sew ħilitna kemm saħħitna, Hienja nagħtu għall-fqajrin.”
This roughly translates to “Our heart is moved by hunger and poverty, we shed tears for the sad. We happily give to the poor both our abilities and our efforts”.
