Der Spiegel: Cyprus and Malta confiscated “golden passports” from Russians

The island states of Cyprus and Malta canceled the validity of " golden passports" for dozens of Russians in response to the Russian Federationʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This was reported in the European Commission, and the information was at the disposal of Der Spiegel.

According to the European Commission, Cyprus confiscated the "golden passports" of nine Russians and 34 members of their families, who fell under EU sanctions against Russia. Malta did the same for two people.

• Cyprus and Malta regularly grant citizenship to foreigners who invest considerable funds in the countries. For this, holders of "golden passports" receive the benefits of EU citizenship. For example, to become the owner of such a passport in Cyprus, you need to invest at least €2.5 million.
• In April, Cyprus blocked the accounts of "helpers" of Russian oligarchs. They helped the Russians circumvent sanctions. Meanwhile, the largest creditor of the island, the Bank, notified four thousand clients with Russian citizenship — non-residents of the European Union countries — that it had closed their accounts.