Vanuatu Citizenship Office hits back at Tate report

RNZ News

2 days ago

Photo:
123rf
The Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission has hit back at a report from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project on its golden passport scheme.
The OCCRP report focused on citizenship granted to self-described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate after it was revealed he
allegedly received a Vanuatu passport
.
A government spokesperson had told the
ABC
it was investigating the matter.
"We're definitely looking into it and once we have the files, definitely the processes will be in place to revoke his citizenship," he said.
In response, the Vanuatu Citizenship Commission chairman, Charles Maniel, told the
Vanuatu Daily Post
it can't carry out any revocation until allegations are proven by a court of law.
Then, in a press statement responding to the OCCRP report, the Citizenship Office and Commission said Tate's application for Vanuatu citizenship was approved on 15 December 2022.
It said the application was considered genuine, based on clearances from the Financial Intelligence Unit, Interpol, and UK police, his country of origin, at the time citizenship was granted.
"The Vanuatu Citizenship Office and Commission reject the report issued by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which claims that Mr. Tate was under high-profile investigation in the United Kingdom when applying for Vanuatu citizenship," the statement read.
But the
Vanuatu Daily Post
reported that a spokesperson from OCCRP stated the Vanuatu citizenship commission's response to OCCRP's reporting was factually inaccurate.
"Our reporting shows that Andrew Tate was granted Vanuatu citizenship while under criminal investigation by Romanian - not UK - authorities on rape and human trafficking charges," the spokesperson said.
Andrew Tate talks to reporters outside the Court of Appeal on October 15, 2024 in Bucharest, Romania.
Photo:via CNN Newsource
"His Vanuatu passport was issued while he was in detention in a Romanian jail. This was covered in global media at the time and was publicly accessible information in Vanuatu."
The Citizenship Office and Commission reiterated that, at the time Tate applied for Vanuatu citizenship, he submitted a clear police record. The authorities also noted that their designated agency, NXT Citizen, has remained compliant with the Citizenship Act and related regulations for over five years.
But it said that "if there is sufficient evidence that Mr Tate has been convicted by a court of law" , the Commission will revoke his Vanuatu citizenship without delay.
Meanwhile, Vanuatu's opposition leader says the government must immediately release the report from the Commission of Inquiry into the country's Citizenship Programme.
The report was handed to the Justice Minister last week.
Former prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau told the
Vanuatu Daily Post
the people deserve to know what has been uncovered.
The Commission of inquiry, which ran for nearly a year, was investigating allegations of corrupt practices within the passport and citizenship schemes.
Under the Development Support Program, applicants can be granted citizenship for a minimum investment of $US$130,000.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat, through his public relations officer, said the standard procedure requires that the report must first be presented to the Council of Ministers.
The
Daily Post
contacted a government minister, who confirmed the report was set to be presented to the Council this week.
The passport programme has caused concern for some time.
It has affected its visa-free access
to the UK
and
to the European Parliament's Schengen area
.
The
Daily Post
reported the inquiry followed public outrage and claims of systemic abuse involving the sale of passports and misuse of the programme for personal and political gain.
Kalsakau said making the findings public is essential for transparency and accountability.