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Trial of European parliamentary assistants: François Bayrou acquitted
Trial of European parliamentary assistants: François Bayrou acquitted – (France Info)
François Bayrou was released for the benefit of the doubt on Monday February 5. The court ruled that nothing could prove that the Modem president had given instructions to MEPs to hire parliamentary assistants. Back to the case.
In the trial of European parliamentary assistants, the magistrates ruled on Monday February 5. François Bayrou was released for the benefit of the doubt. “No, there was no desire to misappropriate funds from the European Parliament“, he said as he left the court. The president of Modem and 10 other executives and elected officials from the centrist party were being prosecuted for complicity in embezzlement of public funds.
Damage of 293,000 euros
They were accused of having made their parliamentary assistants paid by European funds work between 2005 and 2017 for a total loss of 293,000 euros. At the helm, the mayor of Pau tirelessly contested these accusations, explaining that his role was to develop the party’s strategy, and no to manage its daily operation. 5 MEPs were found guilty and received suspended prison sentences and a fine.
