THE HAGUE - Two MPs from the Dutch coalition party CDA are concerned about the Curaçao Investors Permit program. Through this program, investors can acquire Dutch nationality and thus access to almost all countries of the European Union. Parliamentarians Chris van Dam and Pieter Omtzigt want to know from the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok and Undersecretary for Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops how many people in Curaçao have participated in the program.

The concerns are prompted by steps taken by the European Union against Cyprus and Malta and a request for information from the Bulgarian government. These EU countries have schemes whereby investors obtain their nationality in exchange for a payment or investment. The EU wants such schemes to be abolished. According to Dutch politicians, the Curaçao investment program has many similarities with the programs of Cyprus, Malta and Bulgaria.