Golden passport / citizenship-by-investment programme: suspended in 2023 after EU pressure
Status: Suspended (April 2023); no investigation found
Summary
Albania planned a citizenship-by-investment programme under the special-cases provisions of its 2020 citizenship law. The European Commission urged Albania not to introduce it, citing bypassing the EU short-stay visa process and security and migration risks. On 13 April 2023 Prime Minister Edi Rama said the process was suspended until the EU clarifies its position, with no date for resumption. The Albanian Helsinki Committee published a position paper on the risks of such a scheme. No criminal investigation of officials connected with the programme was found in the searches.
Key facts
- Suspended by PM Rama, 13 April 2023 (as reported)
- No resumption date given
- EU Commission urged shelving the scheme
The record
Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.
What is proven (1)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
- The suspension announcement by PM Rama, as reported
What is alleged (1)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationCorruption and money-laundering risks flagged by the EU and civil society
Allegations and who made them (1)
Each line is an allegation as recorded, with the person or body that made it where the record names them.
- AllegationSecurity, money-laundering and tax-evasion risks (EU Commission, as reported)
Open questions (2)
- Whether any scheme operated in practice
- Any officials named
Responses (1)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- Rama argued critics do the same in their own countries (Tirana Times search summary, undated)
Timeline
Full timeline →Government
Rama announces suspension of the citizenship-by-investment programme
Suspended until the EU clarifies its position; no resumption date (as reported).
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 3 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 3 sources
- Publisher
- Outbound Investment
- Date
- 13 Apr 2023
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- unknown
- Publisher
- Albanian Helsinki Committee
- Date
- Jun 2023