Cyprus to revoke ‘golden passports’ granted to 45 people

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS
Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus says it has started procedures to revoke citizenship granted to 39 foreign nationals and six of their family members under the east Mediterranean island nation’s canceled investment-for-passports program. A government spokesperson said Friday that the Council of Ministers decided to overturn an earlier decision to grant citizenship to one foreign investor and a “dependent family member.” The decision comes on the recommendation of an independent commission that probed the program after it was scrapped last year amid revelations by an undercover TV program that hobbled the reputation of European Union member Cyprus. The commission found that the government continued for at least four years to unlawfully issue passports to relatives of wealthy investors.