Case relates to handling of $527-million state payout to disgraced tycoon....
IMF chief Christine Lagarde, one of the world's most powerful women,
announced Wednesday she had been charged with "negligence" over a
multi-million-euro graft case relating to her time as French finance
minister.
The shock announcement came a day after she was grilled
for more than 15 hours by a special court in Paris that probes
ministerial misconduct, the fourth time she has been questioned in a
case that has long weighed upon her position as managing director of the
International Monetary Fund.
The
two-day informal meeting of the ECOFIN, as well as the 13. Joint ECOFIN
/ FEMIP Ministerial Meeting, organized by the Geek Presidency in Athens
on 1-2 April had a full agenda and Ministers were able to exchange
views on a number of key issues affecting Europe’s economy and financial
situation.
In particular, Europe’s social problems and their
implications for economic growth were discussed, based on a research and
policy paper presented by Bruegel, which confirms the link between
poverty and unemployment on the one hand and economic growth on the
other. There was a fruitful discussion on how fiscal sustainability is
negatively affected by social problems, as well as on concrete measures
to be taken to address persistent unemployment and social insecurity,
which constitute a major problem for the EU.
Wealthy Greeks fearing attacks by anarchist groups will no longer be
entitled to free police bodyguards in the latest cost-cutting plan from a
government trying to meet budget targets set by international
creditors.
The Public Order Ministry said on Tuesday that individuals with a net
income of more than 100,000 euros ($132,500) a year will have to pay
for their own police protection from potential terrorist and organised
crime attacks.
Under the plan, they will have to pay 2,000 euros ($2,650) per month
for each officer acting as a bodyguard and a daily fee of 50 euros for
use of a patrol car.
Saisis par les parlementaires UMP, les Sages ont estimé que la taxe à 75% sur la fraction des revenus supérieurs à 1 million d'euros est contraire à la constitution.
La taxe à 75% n'existe plus. Les sages garants de la Constitution ont censuré ce samedi
le dispositif dont François Hollande avait fait un élément central de
sa campagne. Saisi par les parlementaires UMP, le Conseil a estimé que
ce dispositif figurant dans le budget 2013 rompt l'égalité des
contribuables devant l'impôt. La mesure avait refait parlé d'elle ces
derniers jours avec l'exil fiscal du comédien Gérard Depardieu en Belgique.
Von Nikolaus Blome
Der
Finanzminister auf Rückreise von Singapur nach Deutschland. Über
sieben Stunden dauert allein der Flug von Singapur bis zur
Zwischenstation Abu Dhabi am Persischen Golf.
Zeit
genug für Finanzminister Wolfgang Schäuble, SEINEN Plan für ein neues
Europa auszubreiten – ein Paukenschlag vor dem EU-Gipfel am Donnerstag.
