超神学院主题曲:Appeal trial opens on de Villepin's role in C...

来源:百度文库 编辑:九乡新闻网 时间:2024/03/29 03:11:37

Appeal trial opens on de Villepin's role in Clearstream case

08:44, May 03, 2011      

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The appeal trial of former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin opened Monday to further clarify some grey areas of the Clearstream case.

The case dates back to 2004 when a forged list of bank accounts charged to the financial company Clearstream Luxembourg was released, which showed President Nicolas Sarkozy, then a popular president candidate, kept undeclared accounts abroad.

De Villepin, a political rival of Sarkozy, was charged of plotting to smear Sarkozy and sabotage his presidential campaign in 2007. De Villepin denied the accusations and insisted his innocence.

In January 2010, a Paris court cleared the former prime minister of the charges on the grounds that there was not enough evidence. But Paris prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin appealed the ruling one day after Sarkozy's announcement that he would not appeal.

Paris prosecutors, unlike judges who are neutral, are under the authority of the Ministry of Justice and thus indirectly under the influence of the president's office. Therefore this case is more regarded as a political play as de Villepin is likely to challenge Sarkozy in the 2012 president election.

"I don't fear anything and people don't fear when he is innocent," de Villepin was quoted by local media on Sunday. The hearings will last nearly four weeks up to May 26.

Source: Xinhua

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