Post date: Apr 03, 2013 2:3:9 PM
French President Francois Hollande says he is outraged by former budget minister Jerome Cahuzac's admission that he held an undeclared Swiss bank account.
PARIS, FRANCE (APRIL 3, 2013) (FRENCH TV ) - French President Francois Hollande said on Wednesday (April 3) that disgraced former minister Jerome Cahuzac benefited from no protection over a secret foreign bank account.
Cahuzac admitted on his website on Tuesday to having had a hidden account overseas for around twenty years. He also met with judges to confirm its existence."He tricked the highest authorities in the country: the head of state, the government, parliament, and through it all the French people. It's a grave and unforgivable error. It's an outrage to the Republic," Hollande said in a pre-recorded statement distributed to broadcasters.
He said Cahuzac had received no form of protection in the affair and outlined three measures planned in the wake of the revelations.
"I affirm here that Jerome Cahuzac did not benefit from any form of protection, other than the presumption of innocence. And he left the government at my request immediately after the opening of an investigation. What's happened is a shock as this is a grave failing of Republican morals.
Hollande said he was introducing a series of measures as a result of the affair including a re-inforcement of the independence of the judiciary, the introduction of a register of assets for parliamentarians and a ban of elected officials found guilty of tax offences holding public office.
Cahuzac's admission he held a 600,000-euro bank account was a grave blow to Hollande's 10-month-old government, whose popularity is flirting with all-time lows in the opinion polls.