Any resistance by the social partners to the government’s citizenship scheme appears to have dissipated, as they turned out in droves today for a meeting with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in order to discuss how the scheme's funds will be distributed.

Dr Muscat said that the citizenship programme is uniquely positioned in the market seeing that it is the only one to have received official endorsement from the European Commission.

He said that the contents of the legal notice published today have been cleared with the Commission.

The amount of interest in the programme is ever growing, he said, and with the correct structures in place the funds attained can leave a lasting legacy for the country.

Dr Muscat said that the funds will be administered by a board of trustees made up of “persons of integrity.” He said that he is looking forward to hearing the social partners’ suggestions for the terms of reference for the fund.