Despite announcements that Albania’s Golden Passport Scheme would become effective, the country’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has confirmed that the program has temporarily been suspended.
Rama’s comments came in the meeting of the European Union (EU)-Albania Stabilization and Association Council, during which he confirmed that the Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) would not be introduced shortly, VisaGuide.World reports.
In the joint press conference were also present the Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyt.
Rama said that regarding Albania’s Golden Passport Scheme, authorities in Albania have emphasized that the process has been suspended until the position is clarified at the European level.
We did not invent this. We took it from European Union countries that have implemented it successfully,” Rama added.
The PM mentioned the fact that there is a case in the European Court, related to the Golden Passport scheme, but it will not be brought to the table until see how this case ends in the European Court.
He confirmed that if the Court decided against the introduction of this scheme, it is a closed issue. But if the Court decided in Albania’s favor, each country will make its own choice.
The Golden Passport Program of Albania was set to give wealthy internationals free passports if they made a financial contribution to this country by buying apartments in the Durres Port.
The Citizenship by Investment Scheme allows foreigners to acquire citizenship in Albania in exchange for financial investment.
Still, the European Union has called on all European countries that offer Golden Visa and Golden Passport Programs to terminate them as soon as possible, after they go against EU law, permitting even persons involved in illicit acts to benefit from these schemes.
As for Albania, the Commission also urged the country several times not to introduce this program. In addition, in its fifth report under the visa suspension mechanism the Commission called authorities in Albania to terminate this scheme.
“Setting up an investor citizenship scheme would be contrary to the recommendations made in the Fourth Report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism and the 2021 enlargement package,” the report noted.
The Commission emphasized that the scheme may serve to bypass the European Union short-stay visa procedure and pose migratory and security risks.
The Commission emphasized that the Golden Passport Program of Albania would lead to visa-regime suspension, adding that the program poses a great concern for the European Union in terms of its visa-free agreement with Albania.
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