Fiion is completely guilty

But the court decided to "revise the nature of the punishment" for the ex-Prime Minister of France

The Cassation Court of France (the country's highest court) made a decision on the complaints of former Prime Minister Francois Fiion, his wife Penelop Fiion and former deputy Mark Mark, who were previously convicted of fictitious employment in the National Assembly. Penelope Fiion was “employed”, who for decades received a salary from the French parliament as the “deputy’s assistant” Francois Fiion (and then, when Francois left for the government, as an “assistant” of his deputy). At the same time, as the prosecutor’s office proved in the two previous courts, Penelope never did a job for which she received a total of more than a million euros, instead of this family and the house. Today, the Cassation Court found the guilt of all three, but appointed a new court hearing for the ex-Prime Minister of France.

The accused themselves also could not provide the first instance in the court , and then in the appeal of reliable traces of Lady Fillon. The court of first instance in 2020 sentenced Francois Fiion to 5 years in prison (of which 3 are conditional), a fine of 375 thousand euros and the prohibition to occupy state debts for 10 years; Penelope - by 3 years conditionally, a fine of 375 thousand euros and a ban on holding positions for 2 years; Mark Kholulo - by 3 years conditionally, a fine of 20 thousand euros and the ban on holding positions for 5 years. In addition, all three were sentenced to jointly compensation to the cash desk of the National Council of the whole that was paid by Penelope (starting from the 80s) in the form of salaries-1 million 80 thousand euros.

In May 2022, the Paris Court of Appeal confirmed the guilt of all three, but somewhat softened the sentences to the Fiion to the spouses: Francois received 4 years (one of them is conditionally, and one year-“really”, which allowed him to replace him with an electronic bracelet), Penelope-2 years conditionally. The amount of joint compensation at the cash desk of the National Assembly was also slightly reduced - up to 800 thousand euros. Fines and prohibitions to occupy state debts remained the same.

All three decided to appeal this sentence in the last instance - the Cassation Court of France.

The high court, which considers compliance with the rule of law, and not the being of the case , could make one decision out of three:

1. fully confirm the verdict of appeal;

2. partially modify the verdict;

3. Recognize violations in the proceedings in the Court of Appeal and appoint a new trial.

In the first case, Francois Fiion, right today, had to put on an electronic bracelet.

At the hearing in the cassation court on February 28, the lawyers of the Fiion and Mark Holo, according to AFP, brought a “series of arguments” in favor of the appointment of a new trial, based, in particular, on the decision of the Constitutional Council of September 28, 2023, which canceled the part of the section of the law by which they were judged.

The general lawyer (representative of the Prosecutor General in the Cassation Court), on the contrary, believes that the appeal instance brought sufficient grounds to reject the request of the accused to cancel the results of the trial, “anticipating the decision of the Constitutional Council”: the verdict in the appeal court was issued in 2022, and the decision of the KS in 2023. The general lawyer also agreed that the wording of the sentence of the Court of Appeal was “very confusing”, and invited the cassation court to rewrite part of the court decision - in form, but not on the merits. And without making a decision on a new trial.

As a result, today the cassation court, having found all three guilty, decided to conduct a new trial in the Court of Appeal against Francois Fiion.

“Thus, a member of the parliament ( Francois Fillon - approx. Ed. ), His wife and deputy were finally found guilty, in particular, in“ illegal assignment of public funds by a person who is entrusted with the mission of public service ”and complicity in this crime,” the decision said . The appeal court will have to revise the “nature of the punishments that the deputy will be appointed, as well as the amount of damage that the deputy and his wife will have to pay the National Assembly.” (“The judges stated that although the reward paid was clearly disproportionate with the work performed, it was not completely deprived of the grounds,” the cassation instance said, without specifying what kind of work it could be discussed). The Cassation Court confirmed the verdict of Penelope Fiion (two years of imprisonment conditionally and a fine of 375 thousand euros) and Mark Zhulo (3 years of conditional imprisonment).

Recall, not questioning the legality of the sentences that this was the case of “fictitious workplaces” of Penelope Fiion (Penelopegate) was of the most important political significance : it was instituted in January 2017, in the midst of the campaign for the presidential of France and contributed to the “elimination” of the then main applicant for the Eliseisian Palace (Francois Fiion) and the parish) To the power of Emmanuel Macron.

Mr. Fiion for many years was considered a “friend of Putin” - this was evidenced by his political behavior and the “syneched” positions that he received in the largest Russian companies. After 02.24.2022, he left them and on February 27, 2022 wrote an advanced for the Journal Du Dimanche newspaper with the heading “Vladimir Putin is the only guilty”.