'Identità measures contradict government claim that few IDs were falsified': PN

Updated 12.30pm with Labour reaction

The PN said on Friday that the measures implemented by Identità to curb the falsification of ID cards contradicted the government's claim that few such cards had been falsified. 

In a statement, the party condemned the government's "aggressive propaganda campaign, which assumes that the Maltese and Gozitan people will forget that it is this very government that, over the past 11 years, has lost control of the residency and work permit system".

PN spokesperson Darren Carabott said that after drastically increasing the population and issuing work permits indiscriminately, Robert Abela’s government had now lost control over security and the number of individuals who have entered Malta. 

"If all that was discovered were irregularities in a small number of identity cards, then why did Identità implement all these measures?

"Who will believe that the Labour government introduced such widespread changes over such a minor number of falsified ID cards," he asked, listing the implemented measures:

• Identità issued a De-registration of Address Form that allows individuals to request the removal of someone registered at a false address and who has never resided there. The form even asks whether a police report has been filed concerning the person in question.
• In September 2024, Identità completely changed the system for registering new rental contracts, introducing a dedicated form requiring the signature of a notary or lawyer as a witness.
• The process for changing one's address on the identity card was also amended. Identità now requires a copy of the purchase or lease agreement, or a declaration from the property owner confirming that the person resides at the address.

The party insisted the government had not explained how it allowed "thousands of foreign nationals to enter Malta and register false addresses".

On Tuesday, Identità’s former Chief Head of Compliance Claudio Spiteri told court only seven fake residence permits had been discovered, refuting allegations that these ran into thousands.

But the PN is insisting the case involving seven falsified ID cards was entirely separate from the broader inquiry into the fake ID card scandal.

Last year, court upheld a request by former MP and lawyer Jason Azzopardi to launch a magisterial inquiry into an alleged scam that saw Identità allegedly issuing several residence permits on the basis of forged documents. Azzopardi had claimed that some 18,000 such documents had been issued.

On Friday Carabott insisted the government had not clarified how hospital appointments, cheques from the Central Bank, tax statements, breast screening appointments, letters from Identità, and other correspondence from government entities were delivered to individuals at addresses they never resided in.

No explanation had also been forthcoming about how law enforcement officers had mistakenly raided the homes of innocent individuals due to incorrect information in the system, the PN added. 

"It is worth recalling that in May of last year, in court cases initiated by then-Secretary General of the Partit Nazzjonalista Michael Piccinino, 22 different magistrates annulled 99 falsified ID cards after establishing that fraud and tampering had taken place under the Labour Government to influence votes.

"The court even ordered that action be taken against those responsible for this fraud.

"Now, in an attempt to deceive the public, the Labour government is trying to point to a single criminal case in court – where two former employees of Identità are accused of issuing fake ID cards – as if these two individuals singlehandedly orchestrated the systemic failures that have exposed the Labour government."

'PN 18,000 excuses': PL

Reacting, the PL said that despite the PN's past allegations of 18,000 false ID cards issued by Identità, in Friday's statement, the PN did not make reference to the 18,000 ID cards.

"Instead of apologising to the Identità workers and the public for their 18,000 lies, the PN is now attacking the measures taken by the authorities to address even one case of alleged abuse.

"It took the PN four days to issue Friday's press statement, and in so doing, it showed that it is not interested in strengthening the processes, but only in attacking the authorities and throwing mud at them," the party said, adding this was another case of a populist and opportunist party.