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WORLD NEWSThursday 22 March 2018
France: Ex-leader Sarkozy charged over Libyan money claims
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN In this image taken from video, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, right, leaves his resi- been revealed.
PHILIPPE SOTTO dence in Paris, Wednesday March 21, 2018. Nicolas Sarkozy was questioned by police for a sec- In the French judicial sys-
PARIS (AP) — Former ond day Wednesday over allegations he took millions of euros in illegal campaign funding from tem, preliminary charges
French President Nicolas the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. mean Sarkozy is personally
Sarkozy was handed pre- under formal investigation
liminary charges Wednes- (AP Photo) in a criminal case. The judg-
day over allegations he es will keep investigating
accepted millions of euros than double the legal cam- be declared. cence during his question- the case in the next weeks
in illegal campaign funding paign funding limit at the Sarkozy, 63, who was ing by police. and months.
from the late Libyan leader time — 21 million euros. In France's president during The former president was At the end of their investi-
Moammar Gadhafi. addition, the alleged pay- 2007-12, has repeatedly released on Wednesday gation, they can decide ei-
A judicial official told The ments would violate French and vehemently denied night, but placed under ju- ther to drop the preliminary
Associated Press that in- rules against foreign financ- any wrongdoing. Accord- dicial supervision. Details of charges or to send Sarkozy
vestigating judges over- ing and requiring that the ing to the same source, he the restrictions he has been to trial on formal charges.
seeing the probe gave the source of campaign funds again proclaimed his inno- ordered to obey have not Sarkozy had a complex
ex-president charges of il- relationship with Gadhafi.
legally funding his success- Soon after winning the
ful 2007 campaign, passive French presidency, he in-
corruption and receiving vited the Libyan leader for
money from Libyan embez- a state visit and welcomed
zlement. him to France with high
The person was not au- honors.
thorized to speak publicly But Sarkozy then put France
about the case. in the forefront of the NATO-
The charges came after led airstrikes against Gad-
Sarkozy was questioned hafi’s troops that helped
for two days by anticorrup- rebel fighters topple Gad-
tion police at a station in hafi’s regime in 2011.
Nanterre, northwest of the Sarkozy has faced other
French capital. Investiga- campaign-related legal
tors are examining allega- troubles in the past.
tions that Gadhafi's regime Sarkozy’s former top aide,
secretly gave the politician the ex-minister Brice Hor-
50 million euros overall for tefeux, was also ques-
his campaign. tioned Tuesday, but not
The sum would be more detained.q
EU's Tusk predicts key Brexit progress at upcoming summit
By RAF CASERT European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, European Council President Donald the remaining EU countries
BRUSSELS (AP) — EU Coun- Tusk, center, and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, right, attend a tripartite social summit at to back a proposed transi-
cil President Donald Tusk in- the Europa building in Brussels, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. tion deal between the two
sisted Wednesday that the sides.
European Union and Brit- (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) "I have some good news
ain were on the cusp of a for Prime Minister There-
major Brexit breakthrough Ireland should be adminis- said the issue will be ad- on the Iberian peninsula sa May," he said. "I have
over the border in Ireland, tered has stifled progress in dressed at the Brussels sum- should not present an ob- just recommended to our
where one part of the is- the Brexit divorce talks. mit and build on a blueprint stacle, he said. leaders that we welcome
land will be part of the EU Tusk didn't provide details sketched out in December. In another sign of potential in principle the agreement
and the other won't when on what had changed to Any similar conflict over movement, Tusk also said on transition."
the U.K. leaves the bloc. put a solution at hand. He the UK's Rock of Gibraltar he is advising the leaders of EU chief Brexit negotiator
On the eve of a two-day Michel Barnier and his British
summit of EU leaders, Tusk counterpart, David Davis,
said he was "absolutely agreed on Monday on the
sure" that Britain and the key elements of a deal to
27 EU nations will find a so- soften the transition once
lution to one of the most Britain leaves on March 29,
vexing issues separating 2019.
the two sides in the nego- Tusk said it would allow
tiations over Britain's depar- both sides "to delay all the
ture. negative consequences
"Trust me, our latest propos- from Brexit by another 21
al, when it comes to new months."
guidelines, is also accept- He told reporters that he
able for Dublin and for Lon- would present the final
don," he said. draft of the negotiating
An agreement on how the guidelines to the EU lead-
border between the Re- ers that he was "absolutely
public of Ireland, which will sure that (it) will be also
remain in the EU, and the acceptable for our British
United Kingdom's Northern friends."q
