Case closed on anti-corruption investigation into Monaco’s courts and National Council

28/03/2023

The Council of Europe says “increased transparency” among the National Council and justice system in Monaco is to thank for its positive evaluation of anti-corruption efforts in the Principality.

The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) is a body that was established in 1999 by the Council of Europe in order to monitor states’ compliance with the organisation’s high anti-corruption standards.

At a meeting in Strasbourg attended by a Monegasque delegation last week, GRECO released the results of its most recent evaluation of the preventative measures taken in Monaco against the potential corruption of its members of parliament – better known here as the National Council – as well as its judges and prosecutors.

The report concludes that the Principality has “implemented satisfactorily or dealt with satisfactorily 12 of the 16 recommendations contained in the Fourth Round Evaluation Report”. Four recommendations remain partly implemented, but the overall positive actions made by Monaco since the process began in 2016 mean that GRECO has closed the case on its investigations.

Areas considered within the evaluative report included: ethical principles and rules of conduct; conflict of interest and the enforcement of the rules regarding conflicts of interest; prohibition or restriction of certain activities; declaration of assets, income, liabilities and interests; and awareness.

“Significant progress”

The report, which will soon be made public on the official GRECO website, noted the “significant progress aimed at strengthening integrity measures” within the National Council. It also recognised the adoption of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and the Code of Ethics for National Councillors as well as “increased transparency of the legislative process”.

There was also a mention of Monaco’s “new law on the status of the judiciary, which strengthens the positioning of the High Council of the Judiciary as the guarantor of judicial independence”.

For its part, the government has commended the progress achieved by the National Council and its courts. In an official communiqué, the government stated that the various reforms provided further proof of Prince Albert II’s “resolute” commitment to the Council of Europe, something he has previously referred to as one of the “decisive priorities for the future of our country”.

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Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Monaco closes Covid-19 response centre after three years

by: Cassandra Tanti

28/03/2023

The next phase of Monaco’s “living with Covid” strategy is the closure of testing and monitoring centres within the Rainier III Auditorium, which have been used to manage the health crisis since 2020.

The Monaco Government announced on Monday 28^th March that the Covid-19 call centre, the testing centre, the home monitoring centre and the epidemiological investigation unit will close their doors on the evening of 31^st March, ending the Covid testing and monitoring health services offered by the Prince’s Government.

Now, people who would like to take a PCR test must go to a laboratory, while pharmacies will still be offering rapid antigen tests.

The Covid-19 vaccination centre will be relocated to the Princess Grace Hospital Centre (CHPG), where appointments can be made by telephone.

The government will continue to update its website covid19.mc with relevant information.

“The Prince’s Government sends its very sincere thanks to all the teams mobilised during this crisis for their work and their involvement,” said the government in a statement.

Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communication Department

Call for extras ahead of filming of new Karl Lagerfeld biopic in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman

28/03/2023

The life of legendary designer and former Monaco resident Karl Lagerfeld is being turned into a television series and the producers are looking for “elegant women and men” to be a part of Kaiser Karl.

If anyone’s life deserves to be made into a series, it is Karl Lagerfeld. The iconic designer, who died in 2019 at the age of 85, had a turbulent life filled with contradictions and excitement that would make for seriously good viewing… And now it will.

Disney+ has commissioned a biopic television series that will partly be filmed in Monaco and the production company is looking for extras to be part of the ride.

TO BE AN EXTRA

The range is broad, with the advertisement asking for elegant women and men between the ages of 18 and 80. There are a few specifics, such as men needing hair to be at least two inches long, and for women to not have “overly colourful” hairstyles. No one is to have visible tattoos.

The Monaco part of the series will be set in the 80s and 90s, and shooting will start in mid-May.

A FASCINATING LIFE

Lagerfeld, who took over the Chanel empire a decade after the death of Coco Chanel, considered the Principality home for many years, and his story would be incomplete without its inclusion.

Disney+ has used an adaptation of Raphaëlle Bacqué biography to create the series, which starts in 1972, just after Chanel’s death, and traces Lagerfeld’s rise. It hits on his rivalry with Yves Saint Laurent, and his love story with the dangerous and flighty Jacques de Bascher. The show will feature German heart throb Daniel Brühl in the starring role.

“More than a period piece, Kaiser Karl will delve into Lagerfeld’s world and his personality – a character who, while quite famous, cultivated and maintained an air of intense mystery,” said Disney in a press release. “It will shine a light on the high-end fashion houses of the 70s as well as how Lagerfeld built his unique and sometimes controversial personal brand in a world where appearances are everything.”

For a chance to be part of this historic series, register here.

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.

Photo credit: Palais Princier de Monaco archives

Monaco to streamline its legislative process with dedicated “go between” committee

by: Stephanie Horsman

27/03/2023

A new Legislative Work Monitoring Committee has been established to streamline Monaco’s law-making process and facilitate communication between the government and National Council.

As the result of a common wish between the Principality’s government and the National Council, the new consultation body, called the Legislative Work Monitoring Committee, has been set up to help move the wheels of law forward in a faster, more efficient way. It builds upon a similar body used back in 2009, and one of its key missions will be to strengthen the dialogue between these two major decision makers.

Prioritisation and coordination

Monaco is moving fast, regularly introducing new or revised laws to its books. Thus, choosing which ones require the swiftest action and priority has become a complex task. This is a role the Legislative Work Monitoring Committee will now take on.

“We must better coordinate ourselves to work better in the service of the common good; this is all the more necessary since, as you know, important deadlines are coming our way,” said Minister of State Pierre Dartout to the National Council earlier this year.

Two meetings of the Legislative Work Monitoring Committee have already taken place, helping direct the National Council’s objectives and talks during the spring session, which begins in a few short days.

The results were solid, with both sides – the government and the National Council – agreeing to methods of organisation and operation, as well as which topics were to be given precedence. The flurry of activity has ensured the spring session will be busy, particularly as the government has said it anticipates several bills, currently awaiting review, will be registered for the agenda at the upcoming Council meetings.

Moneyval recommendations on the immediate agenda

In addition to the backlog, the government intends to present several bills intended to address the recommendations of January’s Moneyval anti-money laundering report, which showed Monaco was not entirely where it should be in terms of risk management. This is something the government is keen to rectify.

In an official communiqué, the government has stated, “Legislative work in this area will be very technically demanding and will require total coordination between the two institutions to achieve the objective that the Principality will have a legal framework in line with international standards by the end of the spring session.”

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Photo source: TILS for Unsplash

Jardin de l’Arménie: Nice’s oldest public park to get €3.85 million revamp

by: Elsa Carpenter

27/03/2023

The Jardin de l’Arménie, the slice of greenery at the edge of Nice’s Carré d’Or, will look very different by the end of this year.

Sandwiched between the more famous Jardin Albert Ier and Le Méridien, the Jardin de l’Arménie is Nice’s oldest public park. It’s hard to say when the park first opened, but Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi says it was already a tree-lined space enjoyed by locals and visitors before the Paillon River was covered over in the 1860s.

Now this little haven, which borders the Avenue de Suède and its luxury boutiques to the north, the Avenue de Verdun to the east and the four-star Le Méridien to the west, is set to receive a much-needed lift in order to better integrate the park with the general redevelopment of the area.

In total, 97 trees of varying heights will be planted, providing a cool and shady space for inhabitants and tourists to rest in solace from the sun. Mediterranean species of trees, along with shrubs and native flowers, will cover the southern end of the garden, while more exotic varieties will be found on the north side.

An homage to an Armenian legacy

Sculptures, including one of Charles Aznavour (1924-2018), will be erected in the park to honour the lives lost in the Armenian genocide.

“Our region is the oldest land of welcome for this community and 6,000 people [of Armenian origin] live in Nice,” Estrosi told local press on launching the project. “The park is a symbol of the relations of friendship and solidarity that have existed between our city and Armenia for more than a century.”

The plans will make the space not just beautiful, but useful as well. According to Estrosi, the planting scheme will help soak up two tonnes of CO2 each year.

The sidewalks and pedestrian zones that encircle the park will be repaved, meaning that a total footprint of 10,000 square metres will be renovated during the project. The current taxi rank and kiosk will be moved to a different location.

The works are expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and will cost €3.85 million.

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Photo source: Ville de Nice

Basketball: Mike James makes return in Monaco defeat

by: Luke Entwistle

27/03/2023

Mike James’ return for AS Monaco Basketball against Limoges on Sunday coincided with the team’s first loss in 11 fixtures (83-76).

James’ (seven points) return from suspension wasn’t a winning one. Seven of the Roca Team’s victories during their 10-game streak came without the American point guard, but a late capitulation on Sunday brought an end to that run.

Sasa Obradovic announced after Monaco’s victory over Valencia on Friday, which guaranteed qualification for the Euroleague playoffs, that James would make his return in the Betclic Elite against Limoges.

The Roca Team manager said that they “needed his quality, especially with the games coming up.” And whilst James showed glimpses of brilliance, it wasn’t enough for the victory.

A 12-point lead squandered

Monaco took the ascendancy in the second quarter, and at one point (61-49), had a 12-point lead over their Betclic Elite opponents, who beat them during the first half of the season at the Salle Gaston Médecin. Limoges didn’t look capable of repeating that feat, but a dominant fourth-quarter display (28-15) allowed them to overturn their deficit, and dominate in money time in order to secure the victory (83-76).

The victory brings Limoges within one victory of the playoff places, whilst defeat for Monaco does little to hinder their quest for the end-of-season playoffs. They remain three victories ahead of Boulogne-Levallois, a lead which they can extend during the Parisian side’s visit to the Principality on 2nd April.

Before that, Monaco have two Euroleague clashes. They first travel to Kaunas before a trip to Munich on Friday, with the Roca Team looking to consolidate their place in the top four.

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Photo by AS Monaco Basket

Month: March 2023