Are Cyprus’s ‘golden passports’ legal?
Passports and citizenship are being obtained in Cyprus by rich people from a number of countries.
An Al Jazeera investigation has revealed Cyprus has been providing European passports to convicted criminals and high-level political figures.
The large leak of passport data to Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit exposes serious flaws to the island’s so-called “golden passport” scheme that has generated more than $8bn for its government.
The European justice commissioner says he will consider legal action against Cyprus. But can it be stopped?
Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra
Guests:
Laure Brillaud – Senior policy officer at Transparency International covering the European Union
Praxoula Antoniadou – President of the United Democrats political party and former Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Cyprus
Jelena Dzankic – Co-director of the Global Citizenship Observatory at the European University Institute