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Gerard Depardieu 'granted Russian citizenship' Gerard Depardieu 'pleased' to become Russian citizen
(about 9 hours later)
  
French actor Gerard Depardieu has obtained Russian citizenship, according to a brief statement posted on the Kremlin website. Actor Gerard Depardieu has hailed Russia's decision to grant him citizenship, following a tax row with the government in his native France.
"Vladimir Putin has signed a decree granting Russian citizenship to Gerard Depardieu," the message read. In an open letter, he said he loved Russia, calling it "a great democracy".
Mr Depardieu recently announced he would give up his French passport after the government criticised his decision to move abroad to avoid higher taxes. Mr Depardieu had recently announced he would give up his French passport after the government criticised his decision to move abroad to avoid higher taxes.
In December, Mr Putin said he would be happy to welcome the actor in Russia. Moscow earlier said President Vladimir Putin had personally signed the decree granting the actor Russian citizenship.
"I'm sure the French authorities did not want to offend Mr Depardieu. But if he'd like to have a Russian passport, consider it settled," Mr Putin said during his annual news conference on 20 December. In December, Mr Putin had said he would be happy to welcome the actor in his new country. "If he'd like to have a Russian passport, consider it settled," Mr Putin said.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had called Mr Depardieu's decision to leave the country "shabby".
In the letter, broadcast on Thursday on Russian TV station Pervyi Kanal, Mr Depardieu said: "I filed a passport application and I am pleased that it was accepted.
"I love your country, Russia - its people, its history, its writers. I love your culture, your intelligence."
He said that he had spoken to French President Francois Hollande and told him Russia was "a great democracy, and not a country where the prime minister calls one of its citizens shabby".
'Friend of Putin'
Under France's civil code, dual citizenship is permitted but it is unlawful to be stateless.Under France's civil code, dual citizenship is permitted but it is unlawful to be stateless.
A person must obtain another nationality before giving up French citizenship.A person must obtain another nationality before giving up French citizenship.
Mr Depardieu has not yet commented on the Kremlin's latest announcement. Mr Depardieu's highly publicised tax row began last year after Mr Hollande said he would raise taxes to 75% for those earning more than 1m euros (£817,400).
'Shabby' decision The actor accused the new socialist government of punishing "success, creation and talent", and announced in early December that he would move to Belgium.
His highly publicised tax row began last year after Socialist President Francois Hollande said he planned to raise taxes to 75% for those earning more than 1m euros (£817,400). Although the Constitutional Council struck down the tax rise proposal on Sunday, Mr Depardieu said this did not change the situation "one bit".
Lambasting the government for punishing "success, creation and talent", the actor announced in early December that he would move to Belgium. The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says the series of events has would be amusingly eccentric, were it not also serious in its implications for France's international image.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault retaliated by calling the decision "shabby". Mr Depardieu, described by Mr Putin as a successful businessman and friend, has developed close ties with Russia, which has a flat 13% personal income tax rate.
Although the Constitutional Council struck down Mr Hollande's tax rise proposal on Sunday, Mr Depardieu said this did not change the situation "one bit".
The French actor, described by Mr Putin as a successful businessman and friend, has developed close ties with Russia, which has a flat 13% personal income tax rate.
He currently appears in an advertisement for Sovietsky Bank's credit card and is prominently featured on the bank's home page.He currently appears in an advertisement for Sovietsky Bank's credit card and is prominently featured on the bank's home page.
In 2011, he played the lead role in the film Rasputin, a Franco-Russian production about the life of eccentric monk Grigory Rasputin.In 2011, he played the lead role in the film Rasputin, a Franco-Russian production about the life of eccentric monk Grigory Rasputin.
In addition, Mr Depardieu has also helped raise funds for a children's hospital in St Petersburg.In addition, Mr Depardieu has also helped raise funds for a children's hospital in St Petersburg.