Value of French ministers’ assets to be publishedApril 9, 2013 - 13:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The French government says the value of ministers' assets will be published by April 15 in a new transparency drive, amid a scandal over tax evasion, BBC News reported. The Socialist government also says it will present a draft law obliging MPs to declare their assets and introducing tougher penalties for financial fraud. Currently ministers only have to declare any conflict of interest. France's ex-Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac has been charged with fraud over a secret Swiss bank account. He admitted last week that he had hidden about 600,000 euros ($770,000) in a Swiss bank account, causing shock in France. The former conservative Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, declared his property on Monday evening. He said he had bought his home in Sarthe for 440,000 euros 20 years ago, and now valued it at about 650,000 euros. He said he had less than 100,000 euros in savings, in several bank accounts. He also said he had two cars, each more than 10 years old. President Francois Hollande was also embarrassed last week when it emerged that his former Socialist Party treasurer, Jean-Jacques Augier, had personal investments in two Cayman Islands offshore companies. Augier, who managed Hollande's campaign funds, insisted there was "nothing illegal" in his tax haven affairs. The conservative opposition says it is dissatisfied with the transparency measures announced so far and is demanding a thorough reshuffle of Hollande's government. Hollande had promised voters morality and integrity in public life after what were nicknamed the "bling-bling" years of his conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy. But this year Hollande's opinion poll ratings have slumped, as the country remains mired in recession with unemployment at 10.6%. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |