Let’s start positive. When Prince Albert took over some commentators were sceptical about his ability to make a significant impact in the Principality and beyond. That wasn’t what we said, either in these pages or when asked to give an opinion in other media. In fact, after something over two years as sovereign Albert II has won widespread approval, above all for his commitment to environmental issues. This hasn’t just been talk. Monaco has signed up to Kyoto and locally there have been meaningful initiatives such as making the Monaco Yacht Show a carbon-neutral event. The Prince’s new foundation has funded the reintroduction of the bald vulture into the Alps (anything which sustains biodiversity is good) and he is patron of the UN’s Billion Tree campaign. As a media – ubiquitous figure Prince Albert’s support of green issues is of real significance.

And now the negatives. Two cases have shown up yet again Monaco’s shortcomings in the field of human rights. Josette Prencipe, a former employee of Banque Mont-Paschi, has been held in pre-trial custody for over four years, despite being seriously ill and unlikely to flee. Requests for bail have been repeatedly turned down. But, we recall, American fraudster William Fogwell got bail after two years since, it was explained, his continued detention “would infringe his human rights”. Prencipe is alleged to have made away with €22 million; Fogwell stole over €160 million... Then there’s the case of Jean-Christophe Moroni, former Fogwell employee, one-time close friend of Prince Albert and son of the owners of the Sass café. He’s been banished from the Principality, a fate he’s shared with other legal residents (he’s lived there since age 2) who “embarrassed” those in power. Banishment is certainly “an ancient custom” (a defensive term once used to us by a senior Monegasque official) but it’s hardly a component of a normal democratic system.

And then there’s Monaco’s approach to “communication”. No change there, we note. Recently, Patrick Middleton recorded commentary for a Court TV (USA) feature on the Safra case. When the producer called up the Press Office for their point of view he was told they had “nothing to say on the subject” and when he insisted “the guy got mad in French which I don’t speak”. As Prince Albert goes about doing good works, such pointless perversities serve only to negate their positive effect on public opinion. Ask Court TV.

From Riviera Reporter issue 125, Feb/March 2008
 

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