Russia grants citizenship to Depardieu after his loss of tax fight

[No Elephants]

Jan 3, 8:52 AM EST

Depardieu, in tax fight, gets Russian citizenship

By JIM HEINTZ and LORI HINNANT
Associated Press


MOSCOW (AP) -- Gerard Depardieu, the French actor who has waged a battle against a proposed super-tax on millionaires in his native country, has been granted Russian citizenship.

A brief announcement on the Kremlin website on Thursday revealed that President Vladimir Putin signed the citizenship grant following an application from the actor.

The former Oscar nominee and star of the movie "Green Card" has been vocal in his opposition to French President Francois Hollande's plans to raise the tax on earned income above (EURO)1 million ($1.33 million) to 75 percent from the current high of 41 percent. Russia has a flat 13-percent tax rate.

"I have never killed anyone, I don't think I've been unworthy, I've paid (EURO)145 million in taxes over 45 years," Depardieu wrote in an open letter in mid-December to Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who had called the actor "pathetic."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_DEPARDIEU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-03-08-52-17


Taxes in a communist country are lower?

"I will neither complain nor brag, but I refuse to be called `pathetic,'" the 64-year-old actor wrote in his response.

<snip>

Depardieu said in his letter to Ayrault that he would surrender his passport and French social security card. In October, the mayor of a small Belgian border town announced that Depardieu had bought a house and set up legal residence there, a move that was slammed by the newly-elected Socialist government.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the French government spokeswoman, didn't comment directly on Depardieu's tax fight, but drew a clear distinction between people who have personal or professional reasons to live abroad, and "French citizens who proclaim loudly and clearly that they they're exiling themselves for fiscal reasons."

<snip>




http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_DEPARDIEU?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-03-08-52-17

[Enthusiast]

1. Just maybe going

from 41% to 75% was a bit of a jump. They might have tried 60%, or something, instead.

[No Elephants]

2. Sure, but I don't know what the French prez ran on. Maybe he had one of them thar "mandates."

In any event, Depardieu has made clear that his love of country has a price that can be measured in Euros.

Tossing aside his French citizenship is not all that inconvenient for Depardieu, either, because he established residence not all that far away and he can afford to travel as much he wants, or to haul friends and relatives out to visit him.

I was just surprised that a Communist country would have lower taxes than France, even with the increase.













+

[Enthusiast]

4. At least they will be able to maintain socialized health care, education and retirement.

That would count for a whole lot in my book. My book is only a coloring book, however.

[No Elephants]

6. You patronize the same book purveyor as Bush?

I kid, too.

I, too, kid.

I too, kid.

[Enthusiast]

8. You are too cute.......nt

[No Elephants]

3. Sure, but I don't know what the French prez ran on. Maybe he had one of them thar "mandates."

In any event, Depardieu has made clear that his love of country has a price that can be measured in Euros.

Tossing aside his French citizenship is not all that inconvenient for Depardieu, either, because he established residence not all that far away and he can afford to travel as much he wants, or to haul friends and relatives out to visit him.

I was just surprised that a Communist country would have lower taxes than France, even with the increase.













+

[bikebloke]

5. Gerard's house in Belgium

It's not too far from France. Actually, right on the border. An old customs house.

Jean Michel Jarre just moved to the UK to avoid taxes in France.

[No Elephants]

7. Did Jarre renounce his citizenship?