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Month: December 2020

Money laundering tops National Council agenda

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/12/2020

Monaco’s National Council spent their entire session on Wednesday discussing Bill No. 1008 and a report compiled by Thomas Brezzo concerning money laundering, terrorism financing and corruption.
The report was created essentially for Monaco law to incorporate the fifth anti-money laundering directive of the European Union, which has a compliance deadline of 31st December 2020. Implementation of Monaco’s commitments toward this directive are set to be implemented by the end of 2021.
The EU directive stemmed from the European Commission’s action plan of 2016 to fight the use of the financial system in the funding of criminal activities, terrorist financing and the obfuscation of funds.
Brezzo, the chairman of the Legislation Commission, referenced Prince Albert II in saying “Monaco must be irreproachable”, adding that the Principality has been very active in fighting these issues.
The country has been involved with several international associations who deal specifically with anti-money laundering, including Moneyval, the permanent monitoring body of the Council of Europe who assesses compliance with the main international standards to counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism and the effectiveness of their implementation, as well as with the task of making recommendations to national authorities for the necessary improvements to their systems.
Jean Castellini, Minister of Finance and the Economy, said that though the subject may seem rather dry and difficult to follow, it is of utmost importance to Monaco and its people. The text, he reminded listeners, helps banking and finance sectors continue growth by adding to the local economy through revenue from the State’s budget both directly and indirectly. It also, critically, allows Monaco to continue to use the euro as it’s national currency and to be integrated into the SEPA payment system.
Then Corrine Bertani took the floor and made a point of the fact that whilst those who offer services are exempt from the new list of taxable persons, those who trade in goods are not. She clarified that that this is for the sale of all goods paid for in cash over the amount of €10,000, and that traders will be required to identify the purchaser in these cases. Traders can still receive cash payments up to €30,000 in this context.
The bill was put to a vote and unanimously passed.
The report in its entirety, including the 134 separate articles proposed in the bill, will be published in the Journal de Monaco.
 
Photo: Thomas Brezzo at the National Council meeting on Wednesday, courtesy the National Council of Monaco
 
 

New ballet schedule

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/12/2020

The Monte-Carlo Ballet will now be starting all performances at 4pm to ensure audiences can return home in time for the 9.30pm curfew.
The Ballets de Monte-Carlo has a full dance card this holiday season and is inviting Monaco to join in, albeit a little earlier than normal.
From 19th December to 3rd January, the public will be treated to three large-scale narrative ballets: Cinderella,Romeo and Juliet and LAC, done choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot’s way.
These modern reinterpretations of traditional ballets is a speciality of Maillot, giving audiences a chance to see some old favourites through new eyes.
Cinderella will be performed at the Grimaldi Forum on 19th and 20th December, Romeo and Juliet will bookend Christmas and be performed on the 23rd and the 26th December, and LAC, Maillots Swan Lake, will delight on 30th and 31st December and again on 2nd and 3rd January.
For the end-of-the-year festivities, the Grimaldi Forum will host a ‘100% Jean-Christophe Maillot’ choreographic fireworks display with Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo to celebrate his 60th birthday.
All start times are 4pm to ensure compliance with the current rules regarding curfews.
The ballets will all be accompanied by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Igor Dronov and Kazuki Yamada.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the website at www.balletsdemontecarlo.com
 
Photo: LAC by Alice Blangero
 
 

Seaexplorer honoured at YCM Awards

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/12/2020

The Yacht Club of Monaco (YCM) Awards may have been held remotely this year, but Club President Prince Albert II still managed to reward sailors who fly the colours of the Principality and make their mark on the world.
The 16th YCM Awards did not look as festive as previous years, but the sentiment was still there.
YCM President Prince Albert II focussed on offshore racing this year, specifically on the participation of Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco in the Vendée Global. The global solo race is a gruelling test of mettle for any sailor, and skipper Boris Herrmann is doing the Principality proud.
Not only is Herrmann holding his own in the race, he has participated in a “needle in a haystack” sea rescue that saved a fellow racer. He is also collecting vital scientific data to help better understand parts of the oceans that are not commonly frequented by hordes of people.
“Boris’s goal is to collect more data on temperature, salinity and currents, but also the state and chemical composition of the sea in parts of the world less frequented by yachtsmen,” the Prince said in his speech. “Unfortunately, I believe that Boris has already noted the presence of plastic on the surface. I am very proud that we have been able to join the forces of my Foundation and the Yacht Club of Monaco around Team Malizia to make this a sporting and ecological project to protect our seas and oceans.”
It has not exactly been smooth sailing for Herrmann, who has suffered issues with equipment but is still persevering and is currently in 6th place.
“Boris is having a fantastic race,” said Pierre Casiraghi, YCM Vice-President. “The Vendée is a race of elimination, especially in these last two weeks. We have seen lots of breakages on boats. Of course, Boris has had a few small technical issues, forcing him to keep a course further north, but he has managed to preserve the boat which is essential. The milder conditions have enabled him to fix them. For the last couple of weeks, he’s been missing a very important intermediary sail (J2). The boat can now be used in optimum conditions and Boris is in great shape, ready to tackle the second part of the race. It’s incredible that after 37 days at sea, he is neck and neck with four other contestants.”

The ceremony was also an opportunity to remind people of the collaborative efforts made by the YCM, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Credit Suisse on the Superyacht Eco Association’s SEA Index, which measures the environmental impact of yachts more than 40 metres long to assist them in meeting carbon emission targets.
The awards were then presented, starting with Matteo Asscher, a 13-year-old sailor who came out on top in the Optimist category for his 3rd place finish at the Monaco Optimist Team Race 2020.
Then Pierrik Devic was honoured, receiving a special prize for his win at the Euro Master Circuit 2020 in the Lasrer Radial Master category, and his 4th place finish at the Laser Master European Championship.
The YCM Awards 2020 also recognises members who have best defended the Club’s burgee during the past year. This year’s winner was Timothy Sukhotin, captain of the Beda who won the Primo Cop-Trophée Credit Suisse, Cappa Europa and had a 2nd place win in the Smeralda 888 finale in October.
For the second year in a row, Ludovico Fassitelli took the prize in the J/70 class, finishing 3rd in the 2019/2020 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, 1st in the Med Cup, 7th in Malcesine J/70 Cup, 5th in the J/70 Italian Championship and top spot in the Corinthian amateur category.
Finally, the Sailor of the Year Award went to Lord Laidlaw of the Highland Fling/Oui Fling. His third nomination since 2017 for this award, he wins for the “sum of his successes in the world’s most prestigious races.”
“I like new challenges, but above all I love getting a project to work and making it a success, which is not easy,” Laidlaw declared. “It means finding the right boat, a good crew, organising the training sessions… Everything must dovetail to perfection. What inspires me most is winning. I love competing but I prefer winning races even more”.
 
Photo source: Yacht Club of Monaco
 
 

Prince announces end of year conditions

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/12/2020

Monaco’s curfew will be extended to 11.30pm on 24th December to allow for Christmas celebrations, while only restaurants will be given an extra hour of reprieve on New Year’s Eve. Almost all other measures currently in place will remain until at least 15th January.
Prince Albert spoke to the citizens of Monaco in a televised address from his Palace on Wednesday night, saying: “Although it has been announced that vaccination programmes are either underway or immanent, this must not be interpreted as meaning life can return to normal right away. It will take several months before that is possible.”
He confirmed that his government has put together a national vaccination plan which is now ready and will begin as soon as vaccines are given approval.
However, he added, “We must not let our guard down and put everything that we have achieved so far at risk by lifting the health measures too quickly and too loosely.”
He announced that almost all of the current measures, including the 8pm to 6am curfew, will remain in force until at least 15th January.
An exception, however, has been made for the 24th December – the day on which Monegasques traditionally celebrate Christmas – when curfew will not come into force until 11.30pm.
On the 31st December, New Year’s Eve, restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 10.30pm – an hour later than the current curfew.
Furthermore, non-residents will only be allowed to enter Monaco if they have a hotel reservation.
For everyone else in the Principality, an 8pm curfew still applies for New Year’s Eve.
Public gatherings will be banned on both the 24th and 31st December.
Minister of State Pierre Dartout is expected to reveal more details in a press conference on Friday, including a lifting of the ban on sports activities.
“I understand the efforts that are being asked of you during this festive period, when family is so important. We must continue on this path as we have made great progress together in the fight against this epidemic. I know I can count on your understanding and readiness to do what needs to be done in order to overcome this ordeal,” concluded the Prince.
 
Photo taken from Prince Albert’s address on Thursday night
 
 

Monaco’s trend-setting Princess

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/12/2020

Sporting a new punk-style undercut, Princess Charlene, together with Prince Albert and their children Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, have welcomed Monaco’s littlest citizens to the Prince’s Palace for the family’s traditional gift giving celebration.
The Palace courtyard was transformed into a winter wonderland for its little guests on Wednesday, complete with Christmas chalets, giant tree, and even fake snow.
Nearly 700 children aged between five and 12 enjoyed the festivities, which also included a fir forest, traditional crib, Santa’s sleigh, jugglers and acrobats.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene joined their children in handing out gifts to the young Monegasques, much to their delight and that of their accompanying parents.
The Palace was eager to point out that the event was held outside this year, where strict health protocols were observed, including temperature measurement and hand disinfection at the entrance to the Palace, mandatory mask wearing and a single direction of movement in the Cour d’Honneur.
Princess Grace and Prince Rainier started the tradition of an annual gift distribution in the Palace, nurturing the bond between the Princely Family and the community.

But it is Princess Charlene’s new look that is grabbing headlines this year across the globe. Concealed under a beret during the inauguration ceremony of Monaco’s new maritime vessel earlier that day, the 42-year-old Princess wore her new locks proudly at the Palace that afternoon, complemented with a sequin face mask that matched her black and gold ensemble.

Photos: Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace, Manu Vitali / Government Communications Department
 
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Little Princess baptises namesake vessel

 
 

Little Princess baptises namesake vessel

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/12/2020

The new flagship boat of Monaco’s Maritime and Airport Police Division, ‘Princess Gabriella’, has been inaugurated by the little princess whose name it bears.

How many six-year-olds can say they have a boat named after them?

Princess Gabriella can now count herself amongst the few in that exclusive club, as Monaco’s newest police patrolling boat has been baptised by none other than the namesake herself.

The ‘Princess Gabriella’ is Monaco’s new Maritime and Airport Police Division patrolling vessel and was officially presented on Wednesday with the Princess herself doing the honour of baptising the boat by the traditional means of breaking a bottle of champagne across the hull.

Sirens and fog horns sounded around the port and the Monegasque anthem was played on trumpet, adding a festive air to the event.

Her twin brother Prince Jacques and parents Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, who is sporting a new 80’s inspired hairstyle, accompanied Princess Gabriella at the ceremony, which also included the presence of many Monegasque authorities and a blessing by Monseigneur Davis, the Archbishop of Monaco. 

After the ceremony, the Princely family were invited aboard the speedboat.

The ‘Princess Gabriella’ is a state of the art 24-metre, 60 tonne vessel, and will be used in sea rescues, research, the fight against marine pollution and polluters as well as cross-border and port security and patrols. The boat can reach speeds up to 30 knots and is equipped with a satellite link, two radars and a firefighting system. Additionally, it has a gun mount and a crane with the ability to lift 400 kilos.

 
Photos: Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace and Manu Vitali and Michael Alesi / Communication Department