Democratic Party MP Genc Pollo has warned against the Albanian government initiative to apply the scheme of granting citizenship to rich foreign nationals through investments in the country, also known as “the golden passport”. The European Union has criticized the scheme and Pollo said it is dangerous for Albania.

Pollo judges that with the “golden passports” Premier Edi Rama is not only presenting Albania as a rouge country that violates agreements, but he also is risking the annulment of the biggest achievement of the Democratic Party government in 2010, visas liberalization, which made possible the free movement of the Albanian citizens in the Schengen area.

In addition, authorizing private firms to grant citizenship means that anyone could become an Albanian citizen, including nationals from countries non-amicable to Albania and EU.

Pollo said it has happened before with a few EU member countries which annulled it immediately after corruption scandals erupted.

“It is a security threat and reputation damage”, highlighted Pollo.