Selling citizenship is big business—and controversial (original) (raw)
It is easy money for small countries, but it also attracts criminals
“I BOUGHT an island” is the simple answer given by Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, as to how he became a citizen of Montenegro. Deposed in a coup in 2006, Mr Thaksin was stripped of his Thai passport. Hence his need for another one. At one point he seemed to be collecting them. A colleague once claimed he had six. His Nicaraguan one, he says, has lapsed.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “A home in the country”
From the September 29th 2018 edition
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