Gerard Depardieu shows off his new Russian passport. |
The World Has Gone Mad
A capitalist actor flees Socialist France for the protection of capitalist Russia!
- And where is the American Flat Tax? Even after 12 years of a GOP controlled Congress we got nothing. Just the same old Big Government Bullshit.
Gerard Depardieu has failed to appear in a French court where he faces a drink-driving charge, days after taking Russian citizenship in a tax row.
He has publicly opposed plans by the Socialist government to institute a top French tax rate of 75%, and last month announced he was moving to Belgium.
French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault branded the decision as "shabby". The film star in turn accused France's Socialist government of punishing "success, creation and talent".
The film star received a Russian passport at the weekend but retains his French citizenship reports BBC News.
"Gerard, welcome to Russia. You will love our low, business friendly, 13% flat tax." |
He has developed close ties with Russia and during his visit at the weekend hugged President Vladimir Putin, who described him as a friend.
Moscow has offered him a flat tax rate of 13% if he stays in the country for more than half the year. On his trip to Russia he travelled to the central region of Mordovia, which has invited him to make his home there.
But the actor said on Monday he was not turning his back on his country.
"I have a Russian passport, but I remain French and I will probably have dual Belgian nationality," he told French sports channel L'Equipe 21.
Depardieu also denied that his decision to move abroad was to avoid paying taxes. "If I'd wanted to escape the taxman, as the French press say, I would have done it a long time ago."
In his new film, he will play the disgraced former French finance minister and head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a man Depardieu has called "a little like all French people, a little arrogant".
The Russian region of Mordovia (in red) has invited Depardieu to live there. |
The Russian region of Mordovia
The Russian region of Mordovia has invited French actor Gerard Depardieu to set up home there, hours after he received his Russian passport.
The Russian region of Mordovia has invited French actor Gerard Depardieu to set up home there, hours after he received his Russian passport.
Governor Vladimir Volkov said he could choose an apartment or a place to build a house, Interfax news agency reported.
The actor boarded a flight to Mordovia's snow-covered main city, Saransk, after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, where he also received his passport says the BBC News.
Waving the new document, he was welcomed to Saransk by women wearing national costumes and served blini - traditional pancakes. He was also presented with a pair of felt boots and two kittens.
"I am very happy, it's very beautiful here, beautiful and soulful people live here," Interfax quoted him as saying.
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