Month: May 2019

Monaco representatives Gilles Tonelli, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Rémi Mortier, Monaco’s Permanent Representative to the European Council, have participated in the 129th Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Helsinki.

The Council of Europe, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, included foreign ministers from 30 of the 47 member states and was opened with a ceremony by Finland’s President, Sauli Niinistö. It also marked the end of Finland’s Chairmanship of the Council, handing it over to France’s Secretary of State for European Affairs, Amélie de Montchalin.

The meeting, held from 16th to 17th May, was definitive in reasserting the rights and obligations of each member state, particularly what can be done when a member state is in non-compliance with statutory obligations, aimed primarily at Russia.

Monaco’s Mr. Tonelli reaffirmed the Principality’s ongoing support of the Council’s fundamental values and endorsed “meeting the challenges ahead, and strengthening the Council of Europe”.

The Council of Europe is an international organisation founded in 1949 with the goal of upholding humanitarian and women’s rights, democracy, inclusiveness and rule of law in Europe. The Council represents roughly 820 million people. Of the 47 member states, 28 are also EU members.

To celebrate the Formula 1 Grand Prix and Top Marques Monaco, MV Agusta and the Metropole Shopping Centre have organised the display of two thrilling motorcycles and an exceptional urban electric bike until 4th June.

The Metropole is positioning itself within the hugely popular motorsport circuit featuring the impressive MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR Pirelli limited edition in blue. The special motorcycle was unveiled in September 2018 at the inauguration of the P Zero World of Monte Carlo. The motorcycle is mechanically identical to the standard 800 RR but features a special rubberised coat that prevents scratches to the paint surface. A streetfighter’s look with a powerful three-cylinder heart, the MV Agusta Dragster 800 RR is the technical base for the development of this version.

Also on show will be the limited edition MV Agusta Red F4 LH44, otherwise known as “The choice of F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton” – and the Made in Monaco bike Stajvelo Beau Rivage, which is an urban electric bike with automatic transmission.

The Metropole Shopping Monte-Carlo was inaugurated in 1988 and features 80 boutiques and five restaurants offer

One of the main access roads into Monaco has been reopened, more than two weeks after a landslide forced its closure. The Moyenne Corniche is now partially open to traffic, but authorities warn future closures will be necessary as repair works continue.

The busy access road between France and Monaco was cut off after heavy rains are believed to have led to a landslide on the night of 24th April. The road was scheduled to reopen on 10th May, however it was delayed due to complications in work.

Late Friday evening, the road was partially reopened to one-way traffic, just in time for the busiest event on the calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix this Sunday 26^th May.

The road will be closed again for up to four days from 3rd June said Xavier Beck, Mayor of Cap-d’Ail. “During this period, the department of engineering works of the Nice-Côte d’Azur Metropolis will drop a part of the structure, the closest to the tunnel, which is troubling them. It turns out that there is still a significant risk, and they prefer to make it fall.”

Rebuilding works are expected to take at least two months to fully complete. This will frustrate motorists who have been forced to travel through a saturated Principality to get to Beausoleil and the east of the department. But experts who have been monitoring the site since the incident say it is a technical necessity.

“This wall was standing for several years and did not move. In recent months, there have been signs of movement that have encouraged the Metropolis to carry out work for peace of mind,” said Nicolas Demartini.

While a final report on the cause of the landslide is yet to be released, bad weather is believed to have played a major role.

Restructuring works on the 10-metre high retaining wall have included runoff areas to prevent erosion and a line anchor to the embankment.

The Monaco City Council has affirmed its commitment to the government’s ambitious Extended Monaco program and outlined its various projects that form part of the transition.

Mayor Georges Marsan and Nicolas Croesi, Deputy Mayor in charge of the Digital Transition welcomed on Wednesday 15^th May Frédéric Genta, Interministerial Delegate in charge of the Digital Transition of the Principality of Monaco, to discuss projects currently underway and confirm synergies between the Monaco City Council and the Prince’s Government.

“The digital transition, in which the Principality is fully committed, with the ambitious Extended Monaco program, is one of the main priorities of the Council for the mandate that has just begun, as evidenced by the appointment of an elected representative in this subject: Nicolas Croesi.”

“The digital transition is a profound and global evolution of society. New digital tools also involve real lifestyle changes,” said the council in a statement. The Council, as a local institution serving the Monegasque population, is part of this approach by initiating several projects itself but also by actively participating in the policy of the Government of Monaco to make Monaco a Smart Principality.”

During their discussions, Georges Marsan, Nicolas Croesi and Frederic Genta spoke about the upcoming implementation of the digital identity of which the City Council is one of the major players and which will be the basis for the deployment of many e-services.

“Our goal is for the digital transition to provide concrete services to the population in order to simplify their procedures and their daily lives, and also bring significant benefits in terms of savings and respect for the environment, in particular by limiting the use of paper,” said Nicolas Croesi.

The Council also affirmed its willingness to support the population in this digital transition, especially seniors by organizing, for example, workshops and explanatory conferences.

Various municipal projects were mentioned, including continued work to modernise timed parking spaces (smart parking), and the dematerialisation of tickets.

Monaco has created a family allowance scheme for self-employed residents of Monaco. The move forms part of the Principality’s commitment to increasing women’s rights.

The announcement was made during an exceptional meeting of the Control Committee of the Health and Maternity Insurance Fund for Independent Workers (CAMTI) on Thursday 2nd May, under the presidency of Didier Gamerdinger, Minister of Social Affairs and Social Affairs.

The session examined a draft bill and the Sovereign Ordinance on the introduction of family benefits for the self-employed, drawn up by the Department in conjunction with the Social Insurance Department of Monaco. It follows a favorable opinion in principle issued by the CAMTI Control Committee at its meeting of 21st September 2018.

The bill will now be forwarded to the National Council, after the Legal Services of the State carry out a final re-reading.

With this text, the Government continues the process it initiated with officials and agents of the State and the Commune to achieve equality between women and men in the area of social rights. Parents will now have the opportunity to determine by mutual agreement which of them will assert this quality with the scheme to which they belong.

The reform will then be extended for female workers in the private sector living in Monaco, which, however, presupposes a change in the coordination rules laid down by the Franco-Monegasque bilateral social security agreement on the opening of rights to family benefits. Discussions in this regard are ongoing with the French side.