PM says he is ready for consensus or people's verdict on citizenship scheme - PN reacts

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this evening that the government was ready to hold talks and seek agreement with the opposition on the citizenship scheme. Speaking in Parliament, he said the two sides should be guided by experts and by good will. Consensus, he said, did not mean the government agreeing with the opposition or the other way around, but that the two sides would strike a balance and agree with each other. Hopefully, he said, the two sides could reach agreement on the regulations needed to bring the scheme into force, but it not, he would welcome the people's verdict as he always did  - a reference to the possible holding of a referendum. PN REACTION The Nationalist Party said that following the prime minister's comments in reply to Simon Busuttil's call for consensus on the citizenship scheme, it was ready for talks with a view for agreement to be reached in the coming days.   The PN said it was prepared for talks for changes to the scheme so that it would not involve outright sale of citizenship but would be linked to residence and real investment which created jobs. The PN augured that common sense and the national interest would prevail, while respecting the...