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RAMADAN v. MALTA JUDGMENT
Maltese Citizenship Act as in force upon the coming into force of the Maltese
Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2000, has ceased to be such a citizen; or
(b) who emigrated from Malta before the appointed day and, but for his having
ceased to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies before that day, would
have become a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(1) of the Maltese Citizenship Act
as in force upon the coming into force of the Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act,
2000; or
(c)* who is the spouse of a person mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subarticle or of a person who is a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(1) or of article
5(1) of the Maltese Citizenship Act as in force upon the coming into force of the
Maltese Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2000, and who has been married to that
person for at least five years and is living with that person, or is the child under
twenty-one years of age of such a person; or
(d) who is the widow or the widower of a person mentioned in paragraph (a) or
paragraph (b) of this sub-article or of a person who at the time of his or her death was
a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(1) or of article 5(1) of the Maltese Citizenship
Act as in force upon the coming into force of the Maltese Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2000, and who was still living with him or her at the time of his or her death and
had been married to that person for at least five years or who would, but for the death
of that person, have been so married for at least five years, or is the child under
twenty-one years of age of such a person,
shall be deemed to be a citizen of Malta by virtue of article 3(1) or of article 5(1) of
the Maltese Citizenship Act as in force upon the coming into force of the Maltese
Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2000:
Provided that if the Minister responsible for matters relating to Maltese citizenship
at any time by order declares that it is contrary to the public interest that a spouse as is
mentioned in paragraph (c), or a widow or widower as is mentioned in paragraph (d)
or a child over eighteen years of age as is mentioned in paragraph (c) or (d) is to be so
deemed, or to continue to be so deemed, such spouse, widow, widower or child, as the
case may be, shall thereupon cease to be deemed to be a citizen of Malta as aforesaid:
Provided further that the Minister responsible for matters relating to Maltese
citizenship shall not be required to assign any reason for the issue of any order
referred to in the immediately preceding proviso, and the decision of the Minister on
any such order shall not be subject to appeal to or review in any court.
*see Article 5 of Act XIII of 2001.”
2. The Citizenship Act
32. The relevant articles of the Maltese Citizenship Act, Chapter 188 of
the Laws of Malta, read as follows:
Article 14 – previously Article 9 (prior to the amendments in 2000)
“(1) Subject to the provisions of this article, the Minister may by order deprive of
his Maltese citizenship any citizen of Malta who is such by registration or
naturalisation if he is satisfied that the registration or certificate of naturalisation was
obtained by means of fraud, false representation or the concealment of any material
fact.