This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20896894
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Gerard Depardieu 'pleased' to become Russian citizen | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Actor Gerard Depardieu has hailed Russia's decision to grant him citizenship, following a tax row with the government in his native France. | |
In an open letter, he said he loved Russia, calling it "a great democracy". | |
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. | |
Moscow earlier said President Vladimir Putin had personally signed the decree granting the actor Russian citizenship. | |
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'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). | |
The actor accused the new socialist government of punishing "success, creation and talent", and announced in early December that he would move to Belgium. | |
Although the Constitutional Council struck down the tax rise proposal on Sunday, Mr Depardieu said this did not change the situation "one bit". | |
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. | |
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. | |
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. |