Maltese “gold” passports were sold to Russians with wars Ukraine

Russian businessman Albert Avdalian was hit by EU sanctions for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, but could partially bypass the block trip thanks to the Malta passport, which he acquired under the “golden” visa scheme, which is facing the European Court.

Audalian, who received his passport in 2015, is one of the seven people who have acquired Maltese citizenship and then suffered from us, the EU or Ukrainian sanctions on the war in Russia in Ukraine, reports Tally Financial Times based on the names published in the country’s government newspaper.

Passport owners are among the larger group of 16 people who have successfully paid for Maltese citizenship, despite the fact that they were politically exposed, or later appeared on the lists of sanctions either were convicted of crimes.

Malta is the last EU country, which still offers citizenship for sale, pulling out anger from the European Commission, which delivered the country to the European Court, seeking to stop this scheme.

The commission claims that the scheme “undermines both the essence and the integrity of the EU citizenship.” The court is expected to be issued on Tuesday.

The schemes offering citizenship or residence for cash have been distributed in Europe and the Caribbean for decades, but called criticism. When the UK has abandoned gold visas, she said that this scheme gave “opportunities for corrupt elites to access the UK.” The European Commission stated that such programs create “significant risks, including corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.”

“For some, this is an insurance policy, this is a way out for some … These schemes are very problematic for several reasons,” said Rostomashvili’s Eco, Transparency International. “It opens the EU door, so it is not just the Malta door.”

Rostomashvili said it was a “trend” in Malta and other countries that offer cash for citizenship that people will apply for passports “before the sanctions will be placed on them, or before the big scandal will begin, and the criminal prosecution will begin.”

People who acquire Maltese passports become EU citizens, the right to live in the block. They can easily open bank accounts and EU enterprises, and visa go to many other countries without a visa.

Applying for citizenship in 2014, Audalian praised Malta “reliability, security, peace, silence and pleasant people”.

Also among those who received the Maltese passports were three people who were subjected to US sanctions for war in Ukraine, and three more sanctioned by Kiev.

The sanctioned persons include Eugene Bernov, which the US is accused of “deceptively purchasing (Ing) double use equipment”, which can be used for military purposes “on behalf of Russian end users.” The United States said it “contributed to the export of equipment … the government -assumed users in Russia” it was managed by a company based in Malta.

Bernova said that “acquired Maltese citizenship in accordance with a careful and multi -tiered process of proper checking,” and that it had “real ties with Malta”, including a business that, she said, was “actual investment on Malta and nothing prohibited.” She said she invested in the production of cinema on the island, as well as “deeply personal reasons” to search for citizenship.

Bernov said the list of sanctions was “the wrong US power”.

At least one of the Maltese passports was subsequently recalled.

In addition to the people who were later sanctioned or convicted, those who paid for Maltese citizenship also include political figures. The so -called politically exposed persons are considered by regulators as a special risk of corruption.

Three members of the Saudi royal family – Prince Khaled and his sons Badad and Mishal – received a Maltese passport. There was no immediate response to the request for the comment of Prince Khaled and his family through his campaign.

The Maltia government also considered Gilbert Edward Geraard Kodjuanko Theodore in 2016, the same name as the current Minister of National Defense of the Philippines. Teodoro’s lawyer stated that “neither a citizen of Malta nor the owner of the Maltese passport,” but refused to comment whether Theodore returned since 2016.

There were no accusations of corruption against Saudis or Theodore.

The European Commission said: “EU values ​​are not sold. Investors’ citizenship schemes make a violation of the EU law … They need to be abolished.”

Malta requires entrants to make a one -time investment at least 600,000 euros, or buying real estate, donating 10,000 euros for charity and living in the country for three years. Investments can be reduced up to one year for people invested 750,000 euros.

Audalian, who owns coal and gas companies in Russia, said in his statement that “as a businessman, holding such a passport will help greatly in my regular trips to Europe and worldwide.”

Audalian, four children and wives of whom have also purchased a Maltese passport, can still travel to Malta, despite the fact that EU sanctions were affected in February for their business, “providing a significant source of income” for the Russian government.

His lists of sanctions say he is “closely linked” to the state giant Rostec.

The documents of the private company Henley & Partners, which led to the project on reporting on organized crime and corruption and shared with other media, show that Avdolyans received residence cards in 2014 and went to Malta next year.

Henley developed and performed a “golden” passport system when it started in 2013.

The documents believe that Avdolyans spent about two weeks in the country, supplying as evidence for the hotel account and restaurant and private jet booking. The properties they rented – including “Boothic -Kwatter” in the Slime on the coast with view of Valletta – were chosen and managed Henley, who annually paid rent and emptied the mailbox on a monthly basis.

The identity of Malta, the Government Authority, which instructed to approve the statements said that “in principle” Audalian fulfilled all the requirements of the 12 -month residence in Malta. Avdalian said that “we refuse to comment on the points.”

Pavel Melnikov, a Russian millionaire, received a Maltese passport in 2015 and a passport from St. Kits and Nevis in 2012 with Henley, Show Show.

In 2018, the Finnish authorities searched its properties in the Finnish archipelago of Turk. He was convicted of tax and accounting fraud in Finland in February. Since then, his citizenship of Malta has been abolished.

Melnikov appeals the conviction and stated that he would challenge the abolition of his Maltese passport, which, he said, took place “without legal grounds”. His lawyer Kai Katyrannta said: “Melnikov denied any and all violations in Finland or elsewhere. He received his nationalities on the basis of local laws and registration, which is not new and not normal.”

Melnikov said he received his Maltese citizenship “exclusively to be able to live and move through Europe, not receive any tax benefits. The Maltese passport was only legally received, fulfilling all legal requirements, not through which criminal schemes.”

Another example is Seman Kuksov, which was imprisoned last year for criminal laundering. The Crown Prosecutor’s Office stated that the 24-year-old guy acted as a courier to raise criminal money and deliver laundered money abroad. ”

Against the backdrop of such discoveries, Cyprus and Bulgaria have abandoned passport programs under pressure from Brussels. But the Malta government supports its scheme, claiming that it has strengthened the inspection and forbade the citizens of Russian and Belarus to purchase passports.

“What Malta did is a hacked European Union,” said Matthew Caroan Galia from the Daphne Caroan Galie. “We have created this community in the EU, and now the countries are starting to eat (away).”

US President Donald Trump has announced $ 5 million worth of plans this year. In Europe, countries such as Portugal, Spain and Hungary are still offered residence permits, but not passports.

Caroana Galie Daphne’s mother, a journalist who opened the scheme of a charged gold passport on Malta, was killed by a car bomb in 2017. Paul Caruan Galia, her son, is now a reporter FT. The trial of two men who were accused of participating in her murder began on Thursday at Malta.

The Malta government did not respond to a comment request.

Sarah Nicin, the Henley & Partners Press, said she could not comment on individual affairs from the lack of information and data protection. She said that a person “could pass all the tough tests for care, but still continue to engage in criminal activity.”

She said that “Malta actually demanded from the entrants to create a place of residence and other actual ties with the country … Henley & Partners always complied with the laws and rules in all the countries in which it works.”

Henley, who had previously received a Maltese government fee for each successful application, is now one of the many companies that perform the program.

Matthew Caroan Galia said the advanced checks of the proper check will not correct this scheme, as the problem is to use people. “This is not with the gradual changes that (you can) stop … By allowing bad guys. This is more related to the character of the scheme itself,” he said.

Companies are afraid that the EU ruling in favor of Malta can crack other countries such as Cyprus to revive or open new such schemes.

“If this happens, we will probably see the race to the bottom … in terms of standards, in terms of verification,” Rastamashvili says.

Additional Chris Cook Report in London, Richard Milne in Oslo, Pauline Ivanovo in Berlin and Ahmed al Amran in Jedi