🇧🇫Burkina FasoWest Africa
Dominique de Villepin returns controversial statuettes, including one from former Burkinabe President Blaise Compaoré
via Lefaso.net7 min read
Dominique de Villepin has returned valuable statuettes, one of which was reportedly a gift from former Burkinabe President Blaise Compaoré, to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to French magazine Paris Match, this action follows accusations that de Villepin received these items. Robert Bourgi, a lawyer close to Nicolas Sarkozy, stated in a France 2 program that de Villepin received statuettes of Napoleon, with one paid for by the former Burkinabe president and another, valued at 50,000 euros, from Italian businessman Gianangelo Perrucci. Bourgi recounted that he suggested to Blaise Compaoré that he make a gesture to Dominique de Villepin, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, leading to the purchase of a bust by Charles-Louis Corbet, valued at 75,000 euros. While de Villepin, a potential candidate for the 2027 French presidential election, acknowledged receiving statuettes, he claimed he was unaware of their true origin, believing they were birthday gifts from Robert Bourgi. As promised during the broadcast, he has since returned them to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His associates, cited by Paris Match, dispute the bust's market value, estimating it between 18,000 and 20,000 euros. They also suggest these revelations are political maneuvers to settle scores and create a smokescreen as Nicolas Sarkozy faces legal issues again.
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