Monaco’s recently-appointed head of judicial services has said that priority must be given to what he calls “hidden” crimes in the Principality.

In a wide-ranging interview published in Monday’s local French-language daily, Robert Gelli said: “I believe it is necessary to strengthen criminal policy (politique penale), to define the priorities.

“There is here a less visible delinquency, hidden, which it is necessary to seek out. I am thinking of economic and financial crime, the fight against money laundering stemming from fraudulent activities.

“I am thinking also about the abuse of old people, who are often (also) rich. Equally, I am thinking of violence within families. At Aix-en-Provence (where Mr Gelli served previously) I made this a priority. I am convinced that here, too, despite the fact that there are very few investigations, we must work to bring these crimes into the open: physical violence, sexual violence, violence against women.”

Mr Gelli said that it took only a month for his appointment to the top job to be finalised, once he had been chosen by the Elysee following discussions between President Macron and HSH Prince Albert. He took office on October 21, 2019, and followed two Monegasque predecessors in the office.

Mr Gelli also said it was a coincidence that he had served in the office of Lionel Jospin at the same time as Monaco’s current Minister of State, Serge Telle. Lionel Jospin was prime minister of France from 1997 until 2002, and ran as the Socialist candidate for president against Jacques Chirac in 1995, and again in 2002, when he was defeated in the first round.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Monaco Matin Quotations edited from the French PHOTO: Robert Gelli