The scheme lets people become citizens after paying, buying or renting property of a certain value, and donating to charity.

The European Court of Justice ordered Malta to close its “golden passport” program, the one of the last of its kind in Europe that allows wealthy people to buy EU citizenship, even after the small island country suspended the program for citizens of Russia and Belarus.

The Commission took Valletta to court after years of warnings, arguing the scheme gave EU citizenship to people with no real connection to the country.