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CORRUPTION

Council of Europe urges Swiss to fight corruption

A European anti-corruption body on Friday urged Switzerland to better fight private-sector graft and bribery of foreign officials and to ensure transparency in political funding.

The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) praised Switzerland’s existing anti-graft laws but said the number of convictions was low relative to the number of investigations opened.

It said that although Swiss law punishes corrupt public officials, there had been no convictions so far in private bribery cases — a fact the body called “a matter of concern”.

The organisation also stressed that “the Swiss legal system is almost alone in Europe in not imposing — at federal level and in nearly all cantons — any rules on transparency of political funding.”

“Political parties are not subject to any binding rules in this area or to any supervisory arrangements concerning their income and expenditure,” it said, adding that this was also true for election campaigns and referendums.

The council said Switzerland, given its economic and financial weight and the many multinationals with headquarters there, appears “particularly exposed to the risks of bribery in the private sector and of foreign public officials”.

Part of the problem was that Swiss courts only deal with private corruption cases once they receive a complaint from a company, individual or group, said the organisation, recommending that this constraint be lifted.

GRECO, set up in 1999 by the Council of Europe, comprises 48 European states and the United States.

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CORRUPTION

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president

Police raided the offices of FC Barcelona on Monday, carrying out several arrests just six days ahead of the club's presidential elections, a Catalan regional police spokesman told AFP.

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president
Barcelona's former president Josep Maria Bartomeu is among the arrested. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP

Spain's Cadena Ser radio said one of those arrested was former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned in October, along with CEO Oscar Grau and the club's head of legal services.

But the police refused to confirm names, saying only “arrests are taking place” and adding that the operation was being run by officers from the financial crimes unit.

“We are in the process of carrying out an operation right now with agents of the financial crimes unit,” the police spokesman told AFP.

According to reports in the Spanish media, the operation is linked to last year's investigation into the 'BarçaGate' scandal, which saw the club deny hiring a company to criticise current and former players on social media to improve the image of the then-president Bartomeu.

Cadena Ser said Barca paid €1 million in six separate invoices to the company I3 Ventures, with whom the club have since cut ties.

Bartomeu resigned in October, after mounting pressure following months of controversy and a dramatic decline in performances on the pitch.

His successor is due to be elected on Sunday, when club members will choose between the final three candidates, Joan Laporta, Toni Freixa and Victor Font.

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