Gibraltar cooperating fully with international probe into Refa’at Al-Assad, Parliament told

Gibraltar has for several years liaised closely with French authorities investigating Dr Refa’at Al-Assad, the exiled uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, over allegations of corruption, tax evasion and money laundering, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told Parliament yesterday, adding that this law enforcement cooperation had safeguarded the Rock’s reputation.

Mr Picardo was responding to Opposition questions stemming from the Supreme Court’s recent decision to clear the potential sale of 6-9 Europort, which is owned by a trust whose beneficiaries include Dr al-Assad and members of his family.

Dr al-Assad is being investigated by authorities in France and Spain, who have seized assets in both those countries and also in the UK.

But Mr Picardo told Parliament that even though French and Spanish authorities were aware of Dr al-Assad’s assets here, they had made no attempt to seize them.

In addressing Parliament, Mr Picardo referred to the recent court judgement that brought this complex case into the public domain.

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