The Riff-Raff Element Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Perhaps everyone already knows this, but it came as a shock to me. Iquote from the BBC website (which I rarely read in detail these daysbecause it is usually so DULL):Quote French icon wants to be BelgianFrench rock icon Johnny Hallyday is bidding to become a Belgian citizen.The 62-year-old singer lodged a naturalisation application in November last year, Belgian officials confirmed.Pierre-Dominique Schmidt, the country's ambassador inParis, told Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure: "He adores France...but he has our spirit."Hallyday, real name Jean-Philippe Smet, whose father was Belgian, only recently realised he did not have dual nationality.According to the ambassador, Hallyday had presumed he had dual nationality.But his father, Leon Smet, had not been married to hismother but another woman at the time of Hallyday's birth and so couldnot pass on his citizenship.Mr Schmidt said it would take between 15 and 18 monthsto make a decision, adding that under Belgian law Hallyday would haveto give up his French passport."Johnny's decision, to put it simply, comes from the heart," he added.The singer helped introduce rock 'n' roll to France and has been an icon in the country for decades.French culture minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said "Vive Europe - but for me,he is French."The move follows several lengthy court battles involving the singer once dubbed the French Elvis.A legal wrangle with his record label, Universal,resulted in his departure from the company last week after 43 years tojoin rival Warner Music.An investigation into an allegation of rape made againstHallyday by a former employee in 2003 was also finalised this week,with no charges being brought against the singer. End QuoteAppearantly this is nothing to do with Belgium imposing neither CapitalGains Tax nor "Wealthy Tax" upon its citizens (or so I am informed by afriend who has enough money to be worried about such things). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesLauriers Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 No, nothing to do with wealth tax. ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 The people round here are Johnny nuts so had better keep our heads down and not mention his name as the fur is sure to fly when they discover this fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 [quote user="jond"]French icon wants to be BelgianFrench rock icon Johnny Hallyday is bidding to become a Belgian citizen.Appearantly this is nothing to do with Belgium imposing neither CapitalGains Tax nor "Wealthy Tax" upon its citizens (or so I am informed by afriend who has enough money to be worried about such things).[/quote]According to the French online paper I've read this morning (La dépêche du Midi), as he would still be living in France (so a French resident), the tax question would not apply anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opalienne Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I spend time in Belgium during the week and this has been a big story for the last two days. According to the Belgian ambassador in Paris Johnny will continue to live in France so he won't escape wealth tax that way. Though lots of people do do this - there are almost as many Dutch as Belgians living in the far north of Belgium and they are all there to escape Dutch wealth tax. The ambassador says that with Johnny it's 'une question de coeur'........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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