Paris (AFP)
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said on Sunday that Patrick Balkany's incarceration was not "exceptional" and found "shocking" that his wife Isabelle, also guilty of tax evasion, succeeded him at the mayor's office. from Levallois-Perret.
Sentenced Friday to four years in prison and ten years of ineligibility for subtracting millions of euros to the tax, Mr. Balkany was locked in the wake of a mandate to deposit at the hearing.
"This is not unusual, it happens" in terms of tax fraud, said Nicole Belloubet at the Grand Jury RTL-LCI-Le Figaro, responding to criticism of this decision in some policies.
"Magistrates are free from the choices they make, and the warrant of committal is no exception," she said, adding that the fight against tax fraud was one of the "priorities" of the government.
"This is a priority for magistrates and for society because we know that this is where democracy is played out, it is in the confidence of citizens," said the minister.
Belloubet also ruled that it would be "curious" that Mr. Balkany, who has appealed his conviction and has filed an application for release, quarrels again the Levallois-Perret town hall in the municipal elections of 2020.
"There would be a form of incoherence, of course, voters will judge," she said. "Having been convicted, that would be odd."
The minister was also surprised by the situation in Levallois where Isabelle Balkany, sentenced to three years in prison and ten years ineligibility but without a warrant, succeeded her husband as first assistant in accordance with the rules in force.
"The rule of law applies as well," she admitted, but "we can find that it is shocking from the political point of view ... I find it shocking but how? ".
© 2019 AFP