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Month: November 2020

Boosting remote opportunities for Italian workers

by: Cassandra Tanti
30/11/2020

Remote working for cross-border employees was the hot topic of discussion between the Monaco government and Italy’s new Ambassador in Monaco Giulio Alaimo this week.
It’s been around six weeks since Giulio Alaimo was officially welcomed as the new Italian Ambassador to the Principality of Monaco.
Mr Alaimo on Monday met with the Minister of Health and Social Affairs Didier Gamerdinger to discuss several important subjects, in particular the implementation of teleworking in the Principality for workers residing in Italy.
“The health situation in 2020 has made it possible to intensify the opportunities that this project represents for Italy and for nearly 4,500 cross-border Italians, in particular in terms of developing employment and improving traffic between our two countries,” said the government in a statement.
Remote working has long been considered essential for Monaco’s economic future by its Government given the Principality’s size.
 
Photo source: Government Communication Department
 
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Green light to chase casino debt

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/11/2020

The National Council has passed a long-awaited bill allowing the SBM to chase bad debts incurred at its casinos – a move which could already put millions back into the coffers of Monaco’s largest employer.

The days of bad-luck gamblers walking out on debts owed to the casinos are over with the passage last week of Bill 1019 unanimously passed by the National Council.

The bill, which casino operators Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) has long asked for, protects the casinos by amending an article of the civil code that formerly stated that no recovery action for bad debts to the casinos could be undertaken against those who took out loans, so long as they could prove the loans were granted in order to gamble.

The altering of this code enables the casinos to retroactively go after debts owed from as long ago as five years.

“We all know when the SBM is going through a difficult period because its activities are at the heart of the sectors most affected by the current global crisis,” said National Council President Stephane Valeri of the new legislation. “The National Council is contributing this evening to adapt the legislation to allow the Principality’s leading company, through its historic core business of the games, to better recover the debts of debtor customers. The sums potentially concerned can amount to several million euros. This new possibility of finding these amounts in the company’s coffers is good news for managers and employees of the SBM.”

Formerly, those wishing to extract credit from the casinos would go to the Société Financière d’Encaissement (SFE), an entity separate from SBM. Gamblers were granted guarantees in the form of a signed ticket, but the casinos had no recourse if gamblers decided to skip out on debts, leaving them with losses out of their control to recuperate.

SBM has been in the midst of some financial struggles of late, and the new bill is a good way to help them refill their coffers and get back on their feet.

Like the rest of his colleagues, National Councillor Franck Julien was behind the change, saying, “I am satisfied with the responsiveness of the government, which tabled this bill today more than necessary. Since then, the economic and social context of the company has deteriorated sharply because of the Covid-19 crisis. It is therefore timely that this law will intervene, in order to equip society with new tools and to recover sums which may in certain cases be particularly important.”

 

Photo source: SBM 
 
 

Four in a row

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/11/2020

Fresh off their exciting win against number one seeded Paris, Sunday’s 3-0 victory against Nîmes Olympique gives AS Monaco their longest winning streak since the 2016-17 season and puts them firmly in the Top 5 of Ligue 1.
The Red and Whites celebrated their fourth win in a row on Sunday at a home game against Nîmes Olympique where they dominated play and set themselves up as real contenders for this season.
With three goals, one in the first half and two in the second, it seemed nothing could slow them down.
Even the normally reticent Coach Niko Kovac was mostly positive saying, “I am very happy with this 3-0 victory, which in my eyes is totally deserved, because we had a lot of chances in both halves. I was very satisfied after the first half. The start of the second half was a bit tough, but after the red card, we played a lot better. In the future, I would like us to control the match for 90 minutes.”
He went on to note how hard the team has worked to gel, declaring, “It’s true that we have found a real balance in our play. We have been working here for four and a half months, the players adhere to the strategy and integrate the principles as is requested of them. We are also happy with a clean sheet, it’s something important for the defence, the goalkeeper and the team as a whole. I really appreciated the fact that we are getting so many chances. We are really on the right track.”
Sofiane Diop made the opening goal in a nice volley about 19 minutes in that landed the ball at the edge of the nets. In fact, Monaco dominated the ball most of the first half, and though they only converted the once, they were playing well as a team.
After halftime, they came out a bit slower but still strong, and when a red card on Nîmes’s Lucas Deaux for tackling Diop from behind occurred, the Red and Whites also had a one man advantage which they took absolute advantage of.
In a one-two, Gelson Martins made a gorgeous header in the 75th minute followed by Kevin Volland putting it between the posts in the 77th. This sealed the deal and the final score of 3-0 was set in stone.
After the match, team captain Axel Disani said, “We started the match very well, with the goal coming quite early. The coach had told us we had to attack them from the start in the final third of the pitch, and that’s what we did. In the second half, I think we came back less well, Nîmes were pressing more. But when we got down to 11 against 10, we were able to break forward and score the two goals that gave us the victory.”
The Red and Whites next play in an away game in Lille on Sunday, 6th December.
 
Photo source: AS Monaco
 
 

Roca Team dominates local rivals in friendly match

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/11/2020

AS Monaco Basketball has taken the Antibes Sharks to the cleaners in a friendly match, dominating the game in a 95-64 win. 

Despite missing some key players, the Roca Team ran roughshod over Antibes last Friday in a friendly meetup between the two local teams. Captain Dee Bost was out playing for the Bulgarian national team, Mathias Lessort was doing the same for France and JJ O’Brien was resting after a slight injury, though their absences were barely felt by a Monaco team that was in it to win it.

The friendly at Gaston-Médecin gave some of the young players a chance to get off the bench and get some court time, as well as give the team good practice between scheduled games. 

“My players put in good energy, with a lot of races,” said coach Zvezdan Mitrovic after the game. “A friendly match is a good thing in this crazy calendar: we play three matches, we find rhythm, and then there is nothing left for two weeks. Our young people have potential. I told them in the locker room: if they work hard, no problem, they will have a chance to play.”

Up and comer Yohan Choupas, for one, was delighted to get some time on the court, saying: “The fact of training alongside players like Dee Bost, Rob Gray, Marcos Knight and all the others, it allows you to learn a lot and to progress. The goal is to grab some playing time and therefore always give your maximum.”

Monaco made 38 shots out of 80 on the night, with 13 for 32 on three-pointers. The team had a whopping 47 rebounds, with Darral Willis making 12 on his own. There were 17 steals and 20 assists. Rob Gray was high scorer with 20 points, followed by Willis who has 17, Abdoulaye Ndoye with 13 and Marcus Knight with 11.

The Roca team next plays on 6th December in a Jeep Elite away match against Elan Bearnais.

 
Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball
 
 

Next phase announcement on 18th December

by: Cassandra Tanti
30/11/2020

Covid restrictions will not change in the Principality until at least mid-December, when Prince Albert is due to reveal new rules for Christmas and the New Year.
“We are maintaining the current system until 18th December, inclusive,” Minister of State Pierre Dartout announced on Friday at a press conference.
Until then, all the measures currently imposed in Monaco will remain in place.
Wearing a mask is still compulsory at all times in public spaces, except for children aged under five years and people practicing outdoor sports.
The night curfew remains in place from 8pm to 6am, with exceptions for restaurants, theatres and casinos, which have a 9:30pm closing time and must provide proof to its patrons.
Bars, sports halls, nightclubs, swimming pools and spas remain closed until at least 18th December.
Retail stores and businesses remain open.
“The Sovereign Prince will take stock of the end-of-year celebrations in mid-December, to enlighten you on what will be decided in view of the Christmas holidays and the start of the month of January 2021,” added the minister of state.
If France lifts its lockdown on 15th December as planned, then trips to and from the country will likely be possible without restrictions.
Until then, Monaco residents traveling to France will have to stay within a 20-kilometre radius of their home for up to three hours only at a time. Travel certificates are also required.
In order to calculate this 20-kilometre radius, the Monaco government has suggested a useful digital tool called CalcMaps, which can be used on a desktop computer or downloaded on mobile devices.
 
Photo by Cassandra Tanti for Monaco Life, all rights reserved
 
 

Monaco welcomes new ambassadors

by: Stephanie Horsman
29/11/2020

The Principality has received four new ambassadors this week from Japan, Spain, Czech Republic and India.

At a lunch held at the Hotel Hermitage on Thursday 26th November, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Laurent Anselmi welcomed Ambassador of Japan Junichi Ihara, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain José Manuel Albares Bueno, Ambassador of the Czech Republic Michal Fleischmann, and Ambassador of the Republic of India Jawed Ashraf.

The four men offered the Prince their credentials prior to the luncheon.

Having joined the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1979, Junichi Ihara was appointed Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in August 1995. He subsequently led the South-East Asia Department, the WTO Department and the Financial Affairs Unit before taking up post as Minister at the Japanese Embassy in the United States in 2004. In 2011, he returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Director-General of North American Affairs, and subsequently of Asian and Oceanian Affairs.

A career diplomat, José Manuel Albares Bueno served as Secretary-General for International Affairs, the G20 and Global Security for the Office of the President of the Government of Spain. During his career, he has been appointed to high-level posts within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.

A production assistant for France Culture from 1981 to 1990, Michal Fleischmann managed Lagardère Active Radio International in the Czech Republic and Slovakia until 2018, when he became President of the Czech Radio Council before becoming Ambassador to Monaco.

Jawed Ashraf joined the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991. He was appointed to serve in Frankfurt and Berlin until 1999 and became Counsellor and Minister for Political Affairs in Washington, DC, in 2007. He led the American Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2012, before being promoted to the position of Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office. He was then appointed to lead the Indian mission in Singapore.

 
Photo from left to right:  José Manuel Albares Bueno, Michal Fleischmann, Laurent Anselmi, Jawed Ashraf, and Junichi Ihara © Government Communication Department / Michael Alesi