Chirac's Cronies Go To Trial

[Annie]

http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/n...1.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/03/21/ixportal.html

Senior allies of Jacques Chirac, including four former government ministers, are among almost 50 people who go on trial in Paris today accused of involvement in one of the worst corruption scandals in French history.

Charged with rigging public works contracts in order to finance the country's major political parties, their testimony threatens to "dynamite" the country's political establishment and heap embarrassment on the French president.


Jacques Chirac is not personally cited in the investigation
A total of 47 people, including politicians from across the political spectrum, are accused of rigging public works contracts in Paris in exchange for bribes running to tens of millions of pounds. At the heart of the inquiry is a former senior aide to Mr Chirac.

The accused, who face a range of charges relating to corruption in the handling of the contracts, could be jailed for up to 10 years if convicted...

The trial centres on a system alleged to have been initiated by the RPR - the party founded by Mr Chirac - in which firms were promised generous contracts in a vast project to revamp school canteens, but only in exchange for hefty kickbacks.

Over a 10-year period from 1988 to 1997, an estimated £50 million was allegedly pilfered from contracts worth £2.5 billion and redistributed to the RPR, its ally the Republican Party, and the Socialists, prosecutors will argue.

Investigators believe that the figure could be much higher, as much of it has allegedly not been accounted for. Civil servants, businessmen and public works executives are also accused of benefiting from the scam, dubbed the "lyceé dossier"...

Whatever revelations the trial does unearth, it could not come at a worse time for Mr Chirac, whose popularity fell five percentage points over the weekend to reach the second lowest level since his re-election in 2002.

There is concern that this type of corruption case could further tip the balance in favour of the No vote in the upcoming referendum on the draft European constitution.

The investigation, which began in 1997 after a tip-off, came close to drawing in Mr Chirac himself four years later, when magistrates began looking into large sums of cash which were paid for his personal travel expenses while he was mayor of Paris.

Mr Chirac refused to appear before the judges, and his office said the money came from bonuses that he earned as prime minister in the 1980s. The case led to a landmark court ruling that serving presidents are immune from judicial proceedings.

 

[padisha emperor]

This proces would probably the ost important in France of the last 2 decades, about the political parties.

But why is there here only french scandal ?

Nevermind, this is a really interesting affair

IF you want that Chirac go in jail, for the moment it is not possible - impun,ity during the time he's president - but after, he could be traduce in justice. Be patient

 

[dilloduck]

This proces would probably the ost important in France of the last 2 decades, about the political parties.

But why is there here only french scandal ?

Nevermind, this is a really interesting affair

IF you want that Chirac go in jail, for the moment it is not possible - impun,ity during the time he's president - but after, he could be traduce in justice. Be patient

HEYYYY thanks for that glimmer of hope, dude !!

 

[padisha emperor]

No problem, I don't be a fan of him.
But he's the president, that's why when you critisize him, I take his defense.

 

[dilloduck]

No problem, I don't be a fan of him.
But he's the president, that's why when you critisize him, I take his defense.

ahhhhhhhh he's French and therefore can do no wrong? I would think you to be a bit above that.

 

[padisha emperor]

He's a man, so can do mistakes.
But when some people are bashing the President of the Republic, and when it is again and again and again, if I can help him, for his honour, I do.

You : Don't you always thank mister GWB for his presence ? You always take his defense, right ?
And GWB is not a perfect guy, he did worth than Jaques Chirac.
But even when Bush do awesome mistakes, you defend him, so...