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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 29 March 2022
E.U. wants to end golden passport schemes, targets Russians

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN program's 13-year run that
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- generated over 8 billion eu-
pean Commission recom- ros. The report said the gov-
mended Monday that EU ernment had incorrectly in-
nations end golden pass- terpreted the law on issuing
port schemes that allow passports to relatives and
wealthy people to buy their also found that nearly 770
way into the bloc's citizen- foreigners were wrongly
ship, and urged them to granted citizenship primar-
assess whether Russian oli- ily because of inadequate
garchs linked to the Kremlin vetting.
or who support the war in Cypriot President Nicos An-
Ukraine should be stripped astasiades said he believes
of citizenship rights previ- that only one person "on
ously granted. the list of banned oligarchs
The European Commission or Duma members" has a
launched infringement Cypriot passport. Asked
procedures against Cyprus if this individual's passport
and Malta in 2020 about would be revoked, Anas-
their golden passports tasiades said: "We'll see,
schemes, and the Russian we're now among those
war in Ukraine has put an who support measures that
increased focused on the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the weekly College of Commission- buttress the rule of law."
topic. ers meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. According to the EU Par-
The Commission warned Associated Press liament, twelve EU coun-
that some Russian or Be- tries operate residence by
larusian citizens who are should withdraw golden investment plans in opera- the parliamentary speaker investment schemes. The
among the 877 individuals passports issued to such in- tion, while Cyprus which and a powerful lawmaker minimum investment levels
targeted by asset freezes dividuals. In addition, it rec- scrapped its own program claiming that they could range from 60,000 euros to
and travel bans imposed ommended immediately in November 2020 is only skirt rules to issue a passport 1,250,000 euros.
since 2014, or who support taking away residence processing applications to a fictitious Chinese inves- "European values are not
the Russian invasion of its permits that have been submitted before that tor who had supposedly for sale. We consider that
neighbor, might have ac- granted under an investor date. Bulgarian lawmakers been convicted of fraud at the sale of citizenship
quired EU citizenship or had scheme to Russian or Be- recently backed a decision home. through 'golden passports'
access to the Schengen larusian citizens supporting to end its golden passport A 2021 report found that is illegal under EU law and
area via these schemes. the war or subject to sanc- program. more than half of a total poses serious risks to our
The EU's executive arm tions. Cyprus cancelled the pro- 6,779 passports were issued security," said Didier Reyn-
said the countries should Malta and Bulgaria cur- gram after an undercover unlawfully to relatives of ders, the Commissioner for
now consider whether they rently have citizenship by TV report allegedly showed wealthy investors over the Justice and Consumers. q

N. Korea's Kim vows to develop more powerful means of attack

By HYUNG-JIN KIM scientists and others in- North Korea said the Hwa-
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — volved in the Hwasong-17 song-17 flew to a maximum
North Korea said Monday test, Kim expressed a re- altitude of 6,248 kilometers
leader Kim Jong Un has solve to build up the coun- (3,880 miles) and traveled
vowed to develop more try's attack capability to 1,090 kilometers (680 miles)
powerful means of attack, cope with threats, accord- during a 67-minute flight
days after the country's first ing to the official Korean before landing in waters
intercontinental ballistic Central News Agency. between the Korean Pen-
missile launch in more than "Only when one is equipped insula and Japan. Outside
four years. with the formidable striking experts said if the missile is
The statement suggests capabilities, overwhelming fired on a standard trajec-
North Korea might per- military power that cannot tory, flatter than the steep
form additional launches be stopped by anyone, test angle, it could fly as far
or even test a nuclear de- one can prevent a war, as 15,000 kilometers (9,320
vice soon as it pushes to guarantee the security of miles), enough to reach
modernize its arsenal and the country and contain anywhere in the U.S. main- In this photo distributed by the North Korean government, North
increase pressure on the and put under control all land and beyond. Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, walks around what it says
a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on the
Biden administration while threats and blackmails Believed to be about 25 launcher, at an undisclosed location in North Korea on March
nuclear diplomacy remains by the imperialists," KCNA meters (82 feet) long, the 24, 2022.
stalled. Last Thursday, the quoted Kim as saying. Hwasong-17 is the North's Associated Press
North performed its 12th Kim said North Korea will longest-range weapon
round of weapons tests this develop more "powerful and, by some estimates, that could also hit most of ministration has urged North
year, launching the newly strike means" and also ex- the world's biggest road- the U.S. Korea to return to talks with-
developed, long-range pressed his conviction and mobile ballistic missile sys- U.S.-led diplomacy aimed out any preconditions, but
Hwasong-17, which ana- expectation that his coun- tem. Its size suggests the at convincing North Korea Pyongyang has responded
lysts say was designed to try will "more vigorously missile is meant to carry to denuclearize in return Washington must drop its
reach anywhere in the U.S. perfect the nuclear war multiple nuclear warheads, for economic and political hostility first and has taken
mainland. deterrence of the country," given the North already benefits largely has stalled steps to expand his weap-
During a photo session with KCNA said. has single-warhead ICBMs since 2019. The Biden ad- ons arsenals.q