The Dutch government supports the recommendation of the European Commission (EC) that Montenegro abolish the economic citizenship scheme, stressing that they agree with the EC's position that golden passports carry security and corruption risks and should therefore be avoided.
This statement was stated in the Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands commenting on the findings of the European Commission on the liberalization of the visa-free regime for the Western Balkans.
The report is published on the website of the Dutch Parliament at the end of last year, and in that document it is pointed out that if these programs lead to an increased risk to security and public order in European member states, this may in the future be a reason for the suspension of the visa-free regime, the RTCG portal reports.
"The Government of the Netherlands agrees with the Commission that golden passports carry security and corruption risks and should therefore be avoided. The Government shares the view of the European Commission that the (proposed) golden passport schemes ('investor citizenship schemes') of Albania and Montenegro are of great concern to EU", it is stated in the Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands commenting on the findings of the European Commission on the liberalization of the visa-free regime for the Western Balkans
As stated, especially in the context of Russian military aggression against Ukraine, it is undesirable that individuals can bypass European procedures for obtaining a visa for a short-term stay through these arrangements.
"This also carries risks in terms of money laundering, tax evasion, etc. It is therefore of great importance that countries applying these schemes take measures as soon as possible to effectively abolish investor passport schemes and to refrain from systematically granting citizenship through investment schemes." , the report states.
They say that if these regulations lead to an increased risk to security and public order in European member states, this may in the future be a reason for the suspension of the visa-free regime for the countries in question.
In this context, it is further stated, the Government supports the recommendation to Montenegro to immediately cancel the scheme for issuing passports to investors, as well as the recommendation to Albania to refrain from implementing such a scheme.
As they said, the Government will continue to call on Montenegro and Albania to fulfill the recommendations on this issue.
"The European Commission, in accordance with European regulations by Regulation No. 2018/1806, determined that the Commission must ensure continuous compliance with the specific criteria underlying the approval of visa exemptions for the third countries concerned. This regulation also provides that the Commission must to report at least once a year to the European Parliament and the Council," the report states.
The European Commission's report published on December 5 last year examines the extent to which Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine continue to meet the requirements for visa liberalization.
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