FRANCE: French Finance minister confident Cahuzac will prove innocent in tax probe

Record ID: 863924

  • Title: FRANCE: French Finance minister confident Cahuzac will prove innocent in tax probe
  • Date: 9th January 2013
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 9, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FRENCH NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON TAX PROBE ON BUDGET MINISTER JEROME CAHUZAC
  • Embargoed: 24th January 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEAX9RI1LMIF5WC73M7JA3RXK8
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: French Finance minister says he is confident that Cahuzac will prove innocent in a tax probe following the opening of a preliminary investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office.


    French Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac, accused of tax fraud by a news website, will use a preliminary investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office to prove his innocence, the country's finance minister said on Wednesday (January 9).
    Speaking on French radio, Pierre Moscovici said he had faith in Cahuzac who is at the centre of allegations from investigative news website Mediapart.
    "I think this investigation will allow him to prove his innocence. Jerome Cahuzac has always reaffirmed he never had a bank account in Switzerland. I trust him," Moscovici said.
    French prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into Cahuzac on Tuesday over allegations that he had a secret bank account at the Swiss bank UBS until the start of 2010.
    Cahuzac, who is leading a government crackdown on tax evasion, has vigourously denied the accusations and said he welcomed an inquiry that he was confident would prove his innocence.
    Asked whether Cahuzac should resign from his position as requested by members of French political UMP party, its leader Jean-Francois Cope said he was in favour of the presumption of innocence.
    "As far as I am concerned, I have always been extremely clear, I have always considered that presumption of innocence had to be respected, especially as at this stage these are only allegations by a certain media outlet, that's it," Cope said on French radio.
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