The Monaco Monitor

During the last general meeting of the ONY held in New York, Mr. Mohamed El Baradei, the latest Peace Nobel reward and General Director of the “International Agency of Atomic Energy”, focused about the the latest report of its firm. In his speach dedicated to many influent business men and famous companies, Mr. El Baradei named (more…)

The Sovereign punches the air in delight as he speeds around the track. The chariot wasn’t moving at quite the same pace as the Formula One cars that take Monte Carlo by storm each year, but Albert seemed to be relishing the experience nonetheless. When one thinks of racing in Monaco, the image of Formula One cars roaring around the narrow streets of the Riviera hotspot is probably the first thing that comes to mind. The tiny principality’s ruler opted for a rather older fashioned mode of transport when he helped kick off an altogether different grand prix in his homeland this week, though. 

Prince Albert, who is well-known for his sporting prowess, was left with mud on his face after speeding around an earthen track on a horse-drawn chariot. But if the broad grin on his face afterwards was anything to go by, the 48-year-old sovereign was only too happy to get dirty if it meant a chance to indulge his penchant for high-speed thrills. 

M. Jean-François SAUTIER is rejoining the French National police force from July 28, 2006, expiration date of its detachment in Principality. At the moment of its departure, the Minister of State Mr. Jean-Paul PROUST, Minister of State, and Mr. Paul MASSERON, Government Counselor for the Interior, made a point of thanking, on behalf of the Princely Government, Mr. Jean-François SAUTIER for the quality of his work and the results obtained with the head of the Management of Public Safety. Mr. Jean-François SAUTIER was named with the General Inspection of the French National police force. The Minister of State and the whole of the Princely Government wished him full success and much of satisfactions in his new functions. 

H.S.H. the Prince Albert II named Mr. Jean Castellini, advisor to the Princely Cabinet. This nomination will take effect from August 1, 2006. Of Monegasque nationality, 38 years old, married and father of two children, Mr. Jean Castellini is graduate School of the High Commercial Studies (HEC) and studied at the Californian University of Berkeley. During more than fifteen years, he then worked for the American cabinets “Barred” and “Russell”, world leaders in the field of the financial hazard control, council in investment, strategies of placement and diversification on the markets, whose it in particular directed the French subsidiary companies. In 2004, he created in the Principality “Investment Research”; engineering and design department specialized in economic and financial analysis for institutional customers. Since the autumn 2005 he is also Vice-President of the Audit Board of financial management. 

The Press Centre of the Monaco Government has invited people to the official delivery of Cleanova II electric vehicles on Tuesday 25th July at 2 p.m. at the Ministry of State. The vehicles are now to be used by: The Post Office, the Monaco Electric and Gas Company (SMEG), the Public Car Parks Department and the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM).

According to Frederic Platini, head of division of the international co-operation of the Principality of Monaco, the results of the humane activities supported by the Principality to the profit of Madagascar are largely positive. Also, he plans to quadruple the volume of the assistance for the island from here 2007. The Monegasque contribution to the realization of various social projects will thus pass from 100.000 euros to 400.000 euros per annum. 

Prince Albert II of Monaco will attend opening night of the heralded Newport Jazz festival next month, a festival spokeswoman said. Albert’s visit also will be celebrated with a private cocktail party and a gala event at two of the city’s Gilded Age mansions. His trip coincides with the 50th anniversary of the 1956 film “High Society,” which was partially filmed in Newport and starred the prince’s mother, Grace Kelly, along with Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong. Albert is the only son of Kelly and Prince Rainier. Albert was invited to Newport by Brian O’Neill, the owner of the Carnegie Abbey Club, a private sporting estate in nearby Portsmouth that has recently hosted former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton as well as former Soviet leader Mikhail Gobachev. Albert will attend the festival’s kickoff concert Aug. 11 by John Pizzarelli, a singer and guitarist who will perform a Sinatra tribute, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, said festival spokeswoman Sue Auclair. 

Before the show, he is expected to attend a private cocktail party at the Elms, a famed Newport mansion, and will also attend a dinner-dance gala at Marble House the following day, said Linda Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Carnegie Abbey Club.

Running out of living space, the tiny principality of Monaco has decided to enlarge itself by expanding into the sea.
The world’s second-smallest state after the Vatican has invited firms to bid to build an artificial peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean from near the Monte Carlo district’s landmark casino. The new land would support residential buildings as well as shops, a school, an exceptional building capable of housing a large museum, a beach and mooring space for yachts. It should be completed within 10 years. “The stakes are very high. It is about preparing our principality’s future by solving the current shortage of real-estate space and spaces devoted to the public,” the country’s ruler, Prince Albert, said in the text of a speech delivered last week. The successful bidder for the 275 000 square meter project would have to meet strict environmental standards to limit damage to flora and wildlife. A government presentation on the project said the site’s architecture should be “resolutely contemporary and aesthetically compatible with the existing urban tissue”. The presentation also listed “respecting the organization of the Formula One Grand Prix” as a requirement for builders. A shortlist is due to be drawn up at the end of the year. 

The traditional Monte-Carlo Country Club Junior Tournament came to an end on 17th July, with the presentation of cups to the winners, in the presence of Elisabeth-Ann de Massy, President of the Monegasque Tennis Federation. This year, young Italians stole the show at this individual tournament winning four matches, beating the French (3 wins), the Russians and Finnish. A commendable achievement for the 12th Monte-Carlo Country Club Junior Tournament which attracted 240 participants from Monaco, France, Italy, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Saudi Arabia to take part in the various age categories (girls 9/10, 11, 13/14 and 15/16; boys 9/10, 11, 12, 13/14 and 15/16). The next tournament, open to all registered members of the French Tennis Federation, is to take place from the 4th to 16th July 2007 in the prestigious setting of the Monte-Carlo Country Club. 

It has become a tradition in the Principality. For three years now, the Monaco-Italy Association, in charge of strengthening ties between the two countries, particularly within the cultural field, has awarded grants to students at school in Monaco. This year, three of these students (who have just recently passed their baccalaureate), have received a grant to spend one month in the University for international students in Perouse, where they will be following a language course. Charlotte Bernabé (Monegasque), Alexandre Blonda (Italian) and Marc-Olivier Rinaldi (French) were selected from among the candidates put forward by the Department of National Education, a partner in this operation. The Monaco-Italy Association was founded in November 2003 and is presided over by Michel Boéri. It also strives to develop relations between Italy and the Principality in the fields of cultural, economic and voluntary spots events, in addition to art exhibitions.