Liberal MP Roman Botan said a number of provisions of the bill to amend and supplement the law on identification papers in the national passports system implies a number of risks, including the possibility of legalizing ill-gotten gains. In an interview for Radio Free Europe’s Moldovan Service, the MP said a foreign citizen who has a particular amount of money can come to Moldova and invest in the public sector and can obtain Moldovan nationality. But these sums of money could be of a dubious origin and could be legalized in Moldova through the agency of persons who do not pose a social threat. This way Moldova could indirectly turn into a fiscal paradise, IPN reports.
According to Roman Botan, the bill was drafted based on the example of Malta that has similar legislation. The Maltese system, based on which nationality is granted in exchange for investments of €1 million, not several hundred thousand euros, is criticized by the EU. Hypothetically, Moldova could experience the situation when citizens against whom bans were imposed in other states, would obtain Moldovan nationality for investments and, having Moldovan nationality, would travel freely in countries where they face interdictions as holders of other nationalities.
Under the proposed amendments, the figure of 5,000 persons who were to obtain nationality for investments was extended to an indefinite number and these persons will not be obliged to know provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova and the official language.
Also, the decree to grant nationality will not contain the name and surname of the applicants, but only the identification number of the file. “This aspect is worrisome. I think that when such citizens obtain nationality and also obtain political rights, such as the right to choose and be chosen, including rights related to property, for example, to purchase land, this is dubious and generates security and corruption risks,” stated the MP.
Roman Botan resigned from the post of chairman of the Parliament’s commission on national security, defense and public order. The announcement was made in the May 24 sitting of Parliament during the examination of a bill to amend and supplement the law on identification papers in the national passports system. The MP explained he does not want to be associated with such a law.
